Key Highlights:
- Rahul Yadav, 18-year-old first-year BTech Computer Science student from Chhattisgarh, found hanging in KIIT hostel on November 30, 2025: third KIIT student suicide this year.​
- Mother alleges harassment by girlfriend’s family drove the KIIT student suicide; police probe digital evidence amid no note found.​
- Follows two Nepalese students’ deaths in February and May 2025, sparking UGC show-cause notice and political demands for KIIT accountability.​
Opening Overview
A shocking KIIT student suicide has gripped Bhubaneswar, with first-year BTech student Rahul Yadav found hanging in his hostel room, intensifying scrutiny on Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology’s safety measures. The 18-year-old from Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, enrolled in Computer Science, was discovered late November 30, 2025, by roommates, prompting Infocity Police to register an unnatural death case. Assistant Commissioner Sonal Singh Parmar confirmed body recovery, with family en route and post-mortem pending at AIIMS Bhubaneswar.​
This KIIT student suicide marks the third in 2025, after Nepalese women Prakriti Lamsal (February 16) and Prisha Shah (May 1) died similarly amid harassment claims. Rahul’s mother, Nirmala Yadav, blamed relentless threats from her son’s girlfriend’s Chhattisgarh family, filing a complaint that police are verifying through seized phone and laptop forensics. No suicide note surfaced, but hostel peers noted his recent withdrawal.​
Nationwide, the crisis escalates: NCRB’s 2023 ADSI report records 13,892 student suicides, up 6.5% from 2022’s 13,044, comprising 8.1% of total suicides. Odisha logged 72 student deaths from 2020 to February 2025, fueled by academics, relationships, and isolation. KIIT’s NIRF 2025 rank of 17th overall (62.87 score) and 36th in engineering underscores prestige clashing with repeated KIIT student suicide tragedies, demanding urgent intervention.​
Incident Details and Investigation Progress
- Rahul Yadav’s KIIT student suicide discovered November 30, 2025, in locked KP 7 AB hostel room; roommates alerted police after unanswered calls.
- Forensics on digital devices probe girlfriend family harassment claims; autopsy report awaited.
- KIIT labels it “personal relationship issue,” echoing past denials amid third yearly death.
The KIIT student suicide of Rahul Yadav began around 10:30 PM on November 30, when roommates returned to find his door locked from inside at KIIT’s Campus 10 hostel. Unresponsive knocks and calls led to authorities breaking in under videography, revealing the body; KIMS Hospital declared him dead on arrival. Police sealed the room, seizing his mobile and laptop for chats, social media, and call logs to trace the alleged love dispute.​
ACP Sonal Singh Parmar stressed a multi-angle probe, including peer interviews and family statements. Rahul’s mother arrived Monday, confirming a Maharashtra-studying girlfriend from his district whose family allegedly intimidated him, pushing the KIIT student suicide. Commissioner S. Devdatta Singh inspected, emphasizing emotional state analysis.​
KIIT’s statement called the KIIT student suicide “sad and unfortunate,” attributing it to confirmed personal reasons per the mother, while noting rising institutional suicides as a collective challenge. This mirrors responses to prior cases, where UGC criticized mishandled complaints. BJP MLA Saroj Padhi urged Chief Minister action, as student bodies like Chatra Samaj Odisha decry neglected mental health. Investigations persist without breakthroughs by December 3.​
Historical Context of KIIT Student Suicides
- First 2025 KIIT student suicide: Prakriti Lamsal (Nepalese, Feb 16) amid harassment; sparked protests, Nepal diplomacy.
- Second: Prisha Shah (Nepalese, May 1); UGC panel flagged ICC lapses, issued show-cause.
- Pattern precedes Rahul Yadav’s KIIT student suicide, with NHRC citing negligence in earlier probe.
KIIT student suicide incidents peaked February 16, 2025, with third-year Nepalese BTech student Prakriti Lamsal found hanging after alleged peer harassment. KIIT’s Internal Complaints Committee enforced an “illegal compromise,” shielding the accused and worsening her state, per UGC’s fact-finding report. Nepal raised alarms, prompting MEA coordination.​
May 1 brought Prisha Shah’s identical fate, another Nepalese first-year, with UGC’s Nageshwar Rao-led panel decrying absent counseling, crisis protocols, and safety like balcony guards. The report held officials criminally liable, mandating audits; KIIT got a show-cause notice. NHRC earlier deemed KIIT negligent in Prakriti’s case, violating UGC guidelines.​
Rahul Yadav’s KIIT student suicide completes the trio, highlighting unchanged flaws. UGC’s 2023 mental health framework demands HEI psychologists, helplines, and evaluations, yet Odisha colleges lag. NCRB notes student suicides at 7.6% nationally (2022), Odisha’s 72 since 2020 from exams and bullying. KIIT’s 14,064 UG enrollment amplifies stakes.​
| Year | India Student Suicides (NCRB) | Odisha Cases | KIIT Student Suicides |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 12,526 | Part of 72 | 0 |
| 2022 | 13,044 | Part of 72 | 0 |
| 2023 | 13,892 | Part of 72 | 0 |
| 2025 | Trend up | 72+ (to Feb)+3 | 3 |
Broader Mental Health Crisis in Indian Campuses
- 64.9% decade rise in student suicides per NCRB; daily 35 cases, relationships key trigger.
- UGC mandates quarterly counselor reviews; Manodarpan helpline 8448-440-632 aids psychosocial support.
- Odisha’s Safe Campaign promotes resilience post-58% surge.
KIIT student suicide reflects India’s campus epidemic. NCRB 2023 logs 13,892 deaths, 34.4% above 2019, led by Maharashtra (14.7%); 24.6% victims failed exams. UGC guidelines require safe infrastructure, non-discriminatory aid, binding on HEIs.​
Ministry’s Manodarpan (2020) offers toll-free support, webinars, 402 counselors nationwide. AICTE fosters wellness centers with meditation. Odisha’s 27.5% medical student depression stems from curricula; Safe Campaign via Shakti Shree trains peers.​
Gaps endure: low Tele-MANAS uptake, unimplemented norms fuel KIIT student suicide risks.​
| Initiative | Features | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| UGC Guidelines (2023) | Counselors, helplines, audits | HEI compliance required |
| Manodarpan (MoE) | 8448-440-632, sessions | 20,000+ calls |
| Odisha Safe Campaign | Workshops, peer support | State institutions |
| NCRB ADSI | Annual trends | Policy data driver |
Institutional and Policy Responses Required
- UGC/NHRC scrutiny on KIIT post-prior KIIT student suicides; demands for faculty training.
- Supreme Court 2024: No pressure tactics, annual reports to UGC/AICTE.
- Odisha MoU with Psychiatric Society; helplines like KIRAN essential.
Rahul Yadav’s KIIT student suicide amplifies calls for overhaul. UGC’s KIIT notice stressed preventable deaths; legislators seek CM probes. Supreme Court mandates literacy in orientations, tamper-proof fixtures.​
KIIT’s out-of-state influx demands priority. NIRF peer score (27.90) falters with scandals. Odisha’s Mo College trains staff, but stalls persist. Early detection via Tele-MANAS (14416) vital. Audits could halt future KIIT student suicides.​
Closing Assessment
The KIIT student suicide of Rahul Yadav, third in 2025, signals dire institutional lapses despite UGC frameworks and Manodarpan. NCRB’s 13,892 national cases and Odisha’s 72 underscore relationships exacerbating pressures. NIRF-topper KIIT must enforce counselors, checks.​
Unified reforms: empathy-driven campuses over rankings. Helplines and workshops save lives; inaction risks more KIIT student suicides, proving prestige hollow without welfare.
