IIT Kanpur scholar's death: 4 booked, probe committee formed

Kanpur, Aug 9: Four employees, including a doctor, of IIT's Health Centre here were today booked in connection with the death of a 26-year-old research scholar from cardiac arrest, even as the institute has formed a committee to probe the incident.

Adarsh Kumar Pandey alleged that yesterday his brother Alok, a PhD scholor of Material Science at the IIT, complained of severe chest and neck pain after which he was rushed to the institute's health centre where Dr Shailendra Kishore gave an injection without conducting any tests.

As his condition deteriorated he was referred to a cardiology centre. However, he died on the way to hospital, Adarsh said. Adarsh lodged a complaint on the basis of which an FIR was registered under section 304B (causing death by negligence) against Dr Kishore, the Warden In-charge, Guide Kamal Kekar and the hospital administrator.

He also alleged that Alok was mistreated and tortured in the hostel. Denying the allegations, IIT Kanpur Director Indraneel Manna claimed that he himself checked Alok's ECG and found there was a problem.

He also denied that the student was mistreated in the hostel. He said that a team of three specialist doctors from as many medical colleges of the city has been formed to probe the death and submit a report in two weeks.

Also, no faculty of IIT Kanpur is part of the probe team. SSP, Kanpur Shalabh Mathur said an FIR has been lodged in the matter and the body sent for postmortem. A probe will be started in the matter on the basis of the postmortem report.

After the news of Pandey's death spread, students of his hostel protested till late night yesterday, alleging that he was given an injection at the institution's health centre which caused his death. The students continued their protest today also.

PTI