IISc student suicide: Police register unnatural death report

Bengaluru: Police have registered an Unnatural Death Report (UDR) following the death of a PhD scholar on the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) campus in northern Bengaluru on Friday. 

Diamond Kushwaha, 21, a 2022-batch PhD student in the Chemical Sciences Department, allegedly jumped from the sixth floor of his hostel building. 

Kushwaha had completed his BSc and was pursuing Integrated PhD at the Solid State and Structural Chemistry Unit (SSCU), according to a spokesperson for the IISc. His parents haven’t raised any suspicions but requested the police to hold an inquiry nonetheless, an officer close to the investigation said. 

A senior police officer overseeing the case told DH that no death note had been found. Police have taken the statements of his peers but didn’t find anything suspicious. Efforts will be made to get to the reason for the suicide, the officer added. 

A statement from the IISc said: “We express our heartfelt condolences to the student’s family and friends... We are committed to ensuring that the IISc campus is a safe and inclusive space for everyone. We strongly urge all students, faculty members and staff to immediately reach out and seek help.”