IIT Delhi on Saturday said the external inquiry committee formed to investigate the death of a 31-year-old MSc student has begun its probe and an external ombudsperson will be appointed next week.

The statement comes a day after IIT Director Rangan Banerjee threatened to take disciplinary action against protesters for “disrupting the peaceful functioning of the campus”. IIT Delhi students have been protesting since Monday following the M.Sc. student’s death by alleged suicide, the eighth such incident in IIT Delhi since 2023.

The institute said it has also approved financial support for the student’s family from its ‘benevolent fund’. In addition, a separate fund has been created through voluntary contributions from faculty members, students, staff and alumni.

The Institute is committed to treating students as active stakeholders and to taking proactive, sustained and measurable steps to safeguard their academic welfare and mental health. The Institute will continue to strengthen its systems and take all necessary measures to ensure that students receive the support and care they need throughout their academic journey, IIT Delhi officials said.

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