Indian student hangs himself in hostel room after alleged sexual abuse

A 21-year-old student from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), New Delhi, committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling fan in his hostel room on Friday morning.

The police found a one-page suicide note by the deceased student in which he revealed that he was suffering from depression over being sexually abused since he was a child, Times of India reported.

According to preliminary investigations by the police, the boy had attempted to commit suicide two days ago. He was admitted to a hospital after which his elder brother took him to his apartment and counselled him, before dropping him back at the hostel.

“The deceased was a first-year student of IIT-Delhi. We received a call around 8am from the college that a student had committed suicide by hanging himself from the ceiling fan of his hostel room,” Deputy Commissioner (DC) Milind Mahadeo Dumbere said.

The officer also said the note by the victim alleged he was depressed and was committing suicide because of childhood trauma. The DCP, however,  did not divulge into details regarding the contents of the note.

However, another officer said that the suicide note details how the student was sexually abused while growing up. 

“In the hand-written note left behind, he states that at a very early age he was abused by his cousins, both of who are elder than him. Till the time he came to Delhi the abuse continued,” said the officer.

The student’s body has been handed over to the family.