Tragedy Strikes IIT Kharagpur: 2nd-Year Student Dies After Choking on Medicine
Tragedy Strikes IIT Kharagpur: 2nd-Year Student Dies After Choking on Medicine
In a heartbreaking incident that has cast a shadow over the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, a second-year Electrical Engineering student, Chandradeep Pawar, tragically passed away on Monday night after reportedly choking on a tablet he had taken to relieve a minor cough. The young student, a native of Chhindwara in Madhya Pradesh, had just finished his dinner when the unfortunate event occurred.
As per initial information, Chandradeep consumed the medication as per his doctor’s advice. However, the tablet became lodged in his windpipe, causing him to choke. His hostel mates acted quickly and rushed him to the campus’s B.C. Roy Technology Hospital. Despite attempts at resuscitation, including CPR, doctors were unable to revive him and declared him dead on arrival.
#WATCH | Jairam Pawar, father of the deceased, says, "I spoke to him yesterday, he said he took some tablet. He told this to me around 6 pm last night. I also spoke to him around 9-9.15 pm…He told me that the medicine was for a little cough he had…We were informed around 11… https://t.co/43dSobhML4 pic.twitter.com/tSjZ4KXhlw
— ANI (@ANI) July 22, 2025
His father, Jairam Pawar, shared that he had spoken to his son earlier that evening. “Around 6 p.m., he mentioned taking medicine for a cough. We spoke again at 9 p.m., and he sounded perfectly fine,” he said. The family was notified of the tragic turn of events later that night and reached Kharagpur on Tuesday morning.
While the immediate cause of death is suspected to be choking, a post-mortem examination has been ordered, and the actual cause will be confirmed once the report is available. Meanwhile, police have begun investigating the incident. Some sources within the institute have reportedly indicated that Chandradeep had shown signs of mental distress in recent days, though no official statement has been released regarding this.
This marks the second student death on the IIT Kharagpur campus within just four days, adding to the sense of concern and grief among students and staff. On July 18, Ritam Mondal, a fourth-year Mechanical Engineering student, was found dead in his hostel room under unclear circumstances.
Chandradeep’s passing is the fifth reported case of an unnatural student death on the IIT-Kharagpur campus in recent months. On January 12, Shaon Malik, a third-year Electrical Engineering student, died by suicide. On April 20, Aniket Walker, a final-year Ocean Engineering student from Maharashtra, was found hanging in JC Bose Hall. On May 4, Mohammad Asif Qamar, a third-year B.Tech student from Bihar, was discovered dead in his room at Madan Mohan Malviya Hall.
As the campus reels from yet another tragedy, the lack of an official statement from the institution has left many seeking answers. These repeated incidents are raising urgent questions about student well-being and campus safety.
