My son couldn’t even tie a couple of goats and now they say he hanged himself?

On September 1, authorities at the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi found a young student named Anil Kumar dead in his hostel room. Anil Kumar hailed from Uttar Pradesh's Banda district. The 21-year-old, known for his brilliance in mathematics, had a promising journey marred by personal and academic challenges.

IIT delhi Suicide

Anil's family, who remember him as a shy and gifted mathematician, had high hopes for his future. He excelled in school, earning a spot at the Navodaya Vidyalaya and later participating in a JEE coaching program under a scholarship, eventually securing a seat at IIT Delhi. However, something changed along the way.

His family, dealing with financial hardships following his father's passing in September 2020, had little inkling of the troubles Anil was facing. Despite his struggles, Anil's last conversation with his mother on August 29 seemed ordinary, with talks of his impending graduation and future employment.

Vidya Devi, 45 said that her son Anil admired Virat Kohli and loved petting and feeding the goats. But now, they say he took his own life. Devi, with tears in her eyes, finds it hard to believe, especially since Anil struggled with some of his classes in the second and third years at IIT Delhi. Despite these challenges, he had been granted extra time to complete his studies because he belonged to the SC community.

"Lalla (Anil) would pet and feed the goats too, but she could never manage to tie them to the trunk. They are saying my son hung himself, but he couldn't even tie a couple of goats? How can I believe this?" she says, tears streaming down her sunken cheeks.

Received shocking call about Anil

August 31, Amit got a call. It shocked him. He couldn't believe it. His brother Anil had passed away. Amit has been the family's only provider since their father died in 2020. Amit drives a tempo and has an Arts degree. The family struggled financially after his father, Suresh Kumar, a bus conductor, died.

What followed was a heartbreaking call to the family from IIT Delhi on August 31, informing them of Anil's death. They rushed to the campus only to find his room locked from the outside. Their grief was compounded by the belief that something more sinister than suicide had occurred.

Anil's academic performance started slipping during his second year at IIT Delhi, a time that coincided with the COVID-19 pandemic and his father's demise. Isolated from his friends and grappling with personal losses, Anil found it challenging to maintain his studies. The pandemic-induced shift to online classes further exacerbated the situation.

Despite the support provided by IIT Delhi, including granting him an extension to complete his degree, Anil struggled academically. His CGPA dropped, and he fell behind his peers. Returning to campus in 2021, he appeared increasingly despondent, distant, and disconnected from his friends. His social media activity waned, and he withdrew from his academic cohort.

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