PhD Scholar Dies by Suicide in Kalyani; Alleges Ragging and Institutional Apathy in Final Note

Kalyani, West Bengal: A 25-year-old PhD scholar at a premier public research institution in Kalyani, Nadia district, died late Thursday night after allegedly attempting suicide on campus, reportedly over inaction on his repeated complaints of ragging.

The deceased, identified as Anamitra Roy from Shyamnagar in North 24 Parganas, was pursuing a doctorate in Biology at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Kolkata. He was discovered unconscious in a laboratory on Thursday evening and rushed to AIIMS, Kalyani, where he succumbed early Friday morning, officials confirmed.

Allegations in Final Social Media Post
Hours before the incident, Roy posted a detailed note on social media alleging that his repeated complaints of harassment were ignored by the institute’s administration. In the note, he described enduring long-standing personal struggles, including childhood abuse, autism, and recurrent depression, and said that persistent bullying on campus had pushed him to the brink.

Roy alleged that he and several colleagues had been harassed in recent months by a fellow PhD student, identified as Sourabh Biswas. Despite multiple complaints to his supervisor, Anindita Bhadra, and to the institute’s anti-ragging cell, he claimed no action was taken. He recounted an incident on April 12 this year, in which Biswas allegedly shouted at him for an extended period in the lab. Formal complaints to higher authorities, he wrote, went unanswered.

Claims of Protecting Reputation Over Justice
The note further alleged that members of the Students’ Affairs Council and his supervisor prioritised the laboratory’s reputation over addressing his grievances, and that his supervisor openly commended his alleged harasser’s work despite what he termed “scientific misconduct.”

In his final appeal, Roy urged that Biswas be denied a PhD and held accountable under anti-ragging laws. Signing off, he apologised to those he felt he had hurt and expressed a longing for peace beyond life:

“I was never made for this world, it seems. Yes, I did find some good people, some friends, some bits of love here and there. But I can’t do this anymore. I give up. May I find the peace in death that I never found in life.”

The incident has sparked outrage among students and on social media, with demands for an impartial inquiry into the allegations and the institutional response.