A 34-year-old PhD scholar at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee was discovered dead on Sunday evening after his body was recovered from the Ashafnagar barrage, according to police reports. The deceased, identified as Mohit Kumar, was a native of Nainital and a research scholar in the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering. He had been residing in a campus hostel and was reportedly missing since Friday, although police noted that no formal missing person report had been filed by the institute or his family.
Discovery and Aftermath
Passersby spotted the body trapped in the Ashafnagar Gangnahar barrage on Sunday evening. The body was subsequently handed over to the family after a postmortem examination. Mohit, a resident of the Gethia Sanatorium area in Nainital, had enrolled at the institute three years ago. His family, who typically spoke to him every few days, mentioned that they did not initially suspect anything was wrong when they could not reach him. A family member told the Times of India, “We do not want to comment on the matter.”
Institute Response and Police Investigation
Institute authorities informed police that they were unaware Mohit was missing. Pradeep Bisht, in-charge of the Civil Lines police station, stated, “Students, especially those from nearby areas, often go home for a day or two without informing officials.” Police have since searched Mohit’s hostel room and are examining his notebooks and documents for clues. No suicide note has been recovered. In an official statement, IIT Roorkee expressed “heartfelt condolences” to the scholar’s family.
The police are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mohit’s disappearance and death. They are looking into possible reasons, including academic stress or personal issues, but have not yet reached any conclusions. The postmortem report is awaited to determine the exact cause of death. The incident has sent shockwaves through the IIT Roorkee campus, with students and faculty expressing grief over the tragic loss.
