Bhubaneswar: A first-year B.Tech student was found dead under suspicious circumstances at a private Engineering College here on Saturday night, triggering protests by hostel students and serious allegations of negligence and mental harassment from the deceased’s family.
The deceased has been identified as Biswas Swain, a resident of Baripada and a hostel inmate at the institute. He was rushed to a private hospital in Chandrasekharpur, where doctors declared him dead.
Initial reports suggest the death may be a case of suicide, though police have not officially confirmed the cause. Officers from Infocity Police Station reached the spot immediately and have launched an investigation.
Family members have raised serious concerns over the sequence of events. Biswas’ father alleged that his son faced mental harassment by college authorities.According to the family, they received a message from the college at approximately 9:36 pm on Saturday stating that Biswas was absent from the hostel. When contacted, Biswas reportedly told them he had been marked absent because he had fallen asleep. The family claimed they spoke to him around 10 pm.
However, within a short time, they were informed of his death. The college later stated that the student died by suicide around 11 pm.“How could such an incident happen within an hour, and why was there no proper monitoring?” the father questioned, alleging negligence by the institution.
The incident triggered immediate protests inside the hostel, with students raising slogans through the night. The family has demanded a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death.
