In a tragic turn of events, students at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Silchar, Assam, clashed with the police during an intense protest following the death of a fellow student within the college hostel. The deceased, a student from Arunachal Pradesh enrolled in the third semester of an electrical engineering course, allegedly took his own life after struggling with failed exams and unresolved back papers. He had appealed to the college authorities to allow him to register for the next semester, but his request was reportedly denied.
Protest Erupts Amid Grief
As grief and anger swept through the campus, students surrounded the official residence of the Registrar, leading to escalating tensions. To disperse the agitating students, the police resorted to mild force, citing the need to restore order. A case of unnatural death has been registered, with the police recovering the body and sending it for post-mortem examination.
Current Situation
While sources within the police report that the situation is now under control, a palpable tension lingers, as more student demonstrations are anticipated. The district authorities, police, and NIT Silchar officials convened an emergency meeting to address the ongoing crisis. There is a possibility that the prestigious institute may remain closed until calm is restored.
Student Grievances and Allegations
The protesting students have voiced their dissatisfaction with new guidelines introduced by the college administration. According to one student, “Yesterday, we waited the whole night for NIT Silchar Director, but he didn’t meet with us and declined all our requests. Every day, the institution has been introducing new guidelines for students. The students are not happy with the behavior of the administration of NIT Silchar. Today, one of the students died by suicide due to depression.”
The students maintain that their protest was peaceful, and they simply wished to meet with the Director of the institute. Instead, they found themselves met with police intervention. Another protesting student stated, “Our student, our senior, died by suicide, and we were doing peaceful agitation, but the authorities of NIT Silchar didn’t even bother to come and talk to us. They unleashed police on us, police lathi-charged us.”
College Administration’s Response
The college administration confirmed the suicide, revealing that the deceased student had faced academic challenges since his first year and may have been battling depression due to unresolved backlogs. Dilip Kumar Baidya, Director of NIT Silchar, expressed sadness over the incident and emphasized the need for friends to have noticed the student’s mental state and alerted authorities.
Escalation and Negotiations
During the protests, students reportedly vandalized cars and ransacked the residence of the Dean. In response, the police engaged in negotiations with the agitated students, which, unfortunately, took a turn for the worse. Deputy Commissioner of Cachar, Rohan Kumar Jha, stated, “We got information about the suicide in the evening and we rushed here. The behavior of the students was a bit unruly; they vandalized a few cars, and the residence of the dean was completely ransacked. We tried to negotiate with the student for a couple of hours. NIT will form an inquiry committee. The students were highly agitated, they resorted to violence, and even as we were negotiating with them, they suddenly started throwing water bottles at us. We have decided that if the situation does not improve, we have to take some steps.”
The incident has raised concerns about the mental health and well-being of students and the need for institutions to address these issues sensitively.