Tension at NIT Silchar after student suicide, Dean and his family held hostage

Violent scenes were seen at the National Institute of Technology, Silchar on Friday night as students went on a rampage vandalising vehicles, holding the Dean and his family hostage and even hitting Cachar SP Numal Mahatta with a water bottle while protesting the suicide of a fellow student.

Tension escalated, as students held Dean Academics, Dr. Binoy Krishna Roy, and his family hostage following the suicide of a 3rd-year student yesterday.

The incident, which initially sparked a massive protest, took an alarming turn as protesters resorted to violence, prompting police intervention. The deceased student, a resident of Hostel 6, reportedly took his life after allegedly being denied registration for the ongoing semester due to a backlog of courses. His untimely death sent shockwaves through the campus, leading to a spontaneous uprising among students.

The protest took a turn for the worse when some students vandalized Dr. BK Roy’s residence, damaged his vehicles, according to police sources. Cachar’s Deputy Commissioner, Rohan Kumar Jha, and Superintendent of Police, Numal Mahatta, rushed to the scene to talk to the students and pacify them. Despite their attempts, the students remained adamant, intensifying the protest further.

NIT Director Dilip Kumar Baidya said, “The aggression is all based on a guess, there is no actual reason to get mad at the Dean regarding academics.” He emphasized that the pressure at NIT, along with intense competition, sometimes leads students to feel depressed. The deceased student had a significant number of backlogs, which may have contributed to his distress.”

Baidya further said, “About the Dean torturing the student, there is no such evidence. We have reported to our ministry and are awaiting their advice. I have full sympathy for him and the students who attacked him after his case; I doubt if they have sympathy or not.”

DC Cachar Rohan Kumar Jha expressed disappointment at the aggressive behaviour of some of the students. He said, “It is very shameful,” as cars were vandalised including those of the Dean and a media person, and the severe damage to Dean B.K. Roy’s house.

He also announced that a committee would be formed to investigate the reasons behind the student’s suicide, with results expected within 10-15 days.

According to sources, the institute is likely to be declared closed until further notice to restore calm and address the underlying issues.

“We are trying to take the demands from the students. But some of their demands cannot even be met. While we were negotiating with the students suddenly they started to be aggressive and started throwing water bottles and one water bottle directly hit the SP Cachar Numal Mahatta’s nose. We decided if the situation does not come under control then we have to close it for some time”, said DC Cachar Rohan Kumar Jha.

The student who took his life was a resident of Arunachal Pradesh. According to sources, the student, a resident of an interior area in Arunachal Pradesh, was facing issues with his studies.

Also Read : NIT student from Arunachal dies by suicide