Birthday night ‘accident’: Gujarati student’s suspicious death at IIM Bangalore raises many questions
A student from Surat, who was returning after cutting his birthday cake with his friends in the second block of the hostel, died after falling from the second floor. No one saw or heard the sound of his fall?
Published on: 06 Jan 2025, 10:08 am
Bangalore- At a time when the Bahujan community and social activists are raising their voices against caste-based discrimination and bias in higher education institutions, the death of an OBC student at IIM Bangalore has shocked everyone. The body of Nilay Patel, who celebrated his birthday on Saturday, was found on campus on Sunday morning.
Initial investigation into the death of 28-year-old MBA student Nilay Kailashbhai Patel has revealed a case of accidental fall. According to the police, no direct evidence of suicide or any conspiracy has been found in the case.
The incident has taken place at a time when the Supreme Court is hearing a PIL seeking redressal of grievances of students and creating a mechanism for equality. Although the police are considering it an accident in the preliminary investigation, the All India OBC Students Association (AIOBCSA) has demanded clarification in the matter.
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Around 6:45 am on Sunday, a security guard found Nilay. The medical team tried to save his life by giving him CPR but declared him ‘brought dead’ at the hospital. Initial investigations revealed that Nilay, whose birthday was on Saturday, had gone to celebrate his birthday in a friend’s room in a separate block of the hostel on the campus. He left his friend’s room around 11:30 pm and was returning to his room in ‘F’ block.
The police have registered a case of unnatural death on the complaint of Neelay’s relative and further investigation is underway. It has also been learnt that Neelay was recently appointed in an e-commerce firm and he was to join from Monday.
According to media reports, there are minor injury marks on the body, but there are no serious injuries that point to a conspiracy. Police said no suicide note has been found, friends have confirmed that Neelay did not express any kind of trouble or stress and he was celebrating his birthday before the incident.
“A brilliant student and a dear friend to many, Nilay will be missed by the entire IIMB family. During this difficult time, we offer our sympathy, respect and ask for privacy for him and his family,” IIM-B said in a statement.
However, the All India OBC Students’ Union has demanded further clarification from the institute in this matter. The union says that the institute lacks adequate mechanisms to address the problems and concerns of students from marginalized communities.
Youth deaths in higher education: A serious problem
Nilay Patel’s death comes at a time when the Supreme Court of India is hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the mothers of Rohith Vemula and Payal Tadvi, both students from marginalised communities who committed suicide as a result of alleged caste-based harassment and stress. The petition seeks prevention of caste-based discrimination in educational institutions and an effective mechanism to redress students’ grievances.
Rohith Vemula, a PhD scholar at Hyderabad Central University, committed suicide in January 2016 due to alleged caste discrimination. Similarly, Payal Tadvi, a tribal student at Mumbai’s T.N. Topiwala National Medical College, committed suicide in May 2019. According to reports, she had faced harassment from upper caste fellow students.
In a recent hearing on January 3, the Supreme Court expressed grave concern over the rising number of such cases. The court showed special sensitivity to the issue, especially after learning that there have been 115 suicides in IITs alone between 2004-2024. Justice Surya Kant remarked that the court will hear the matter periodically to ensure effective implementation of the 2012 rules.
