Rajasthan's Jai Singh Meena, IIT Kanpur Final-Year Student, Dies by Suicide Leaving "Sorry Everyone" Note

Kanpur: A shocking and heartbreaking incident unfolded at one of India's premier institutions, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, on Monday. A final-year B.Tech student from the Biological Sciences and Bioengineering Department took his own life in his hostel room. The 26-year-old student's body was discovered hanging from a noose. Police recovered a handwritten suicide note from the scene, bearing deeply emotional words: "Sorry Everyone."

The deceased student has been identified as Jai Singh Meena, originally from Ajmer, Rajasthan. He resided in Room 148 of Hostel Block-2 (E-Block) on campus. According to police reports, Jai Singh's body was found suspended from the ceiling fan using a bedsheet.

Kalyapur Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Ashutosh Kumar stated that initial investigations and forensic examination indicate the student had slashed his wrists before hanging himself. Bloodstains on his hands and in the room serve as grim evidence of his painful final moments.

The tragedy came to light when Jai Singh's family repeatedly tried calling him but received no response. Growing anxious about a possible mishap, concerned relatives contacted one of his friends, who was away on winter break. The friend immediately alerted other students in the hostel to check on him.

When fellow students reached Jai Singh's room and knocked on the door, there was no movement inside. Peering through the window, they were horrified to see his body hanging lifelessly. The discovery left the group in utter shock.

IIT Kanpur administration expressed profound grief over the incident. The institute revealed that Jai Singh Meena had joined in July 2020 and was an exceptionally bright and dedicated scholar excelling in his studies. With winter vacations commencing on December 28, he was reportedly preparing to head back to his family in Ajmer soon.

The student's father is Gauri Shankar Meena. Jai Singh's elder brother, Siddharth Meena, shared that they were informed of the tragedy around 12:30 PM on Monday via a police call. Authorities noted deep cuts on both of the student's wrists.

ADCP (West) Kapil Dev Singh added that a thorough probe is underway to determine the exact reasons behind the suicide. The body has been sent for postmortem examination. The family is expected to arrive in Kanpur by Tuesday, after which the postmortem and further legal formalities will proceed.

This devastating event has plunged the entire IIT Kanpur campus into mourning. The administration has extended its deepest condolences to the bereaved family, while police continue their investigation based on the suicide note and other evidence. The incident underscores the urgent need for mental health support in high-pressure academic environments like IITs.

India has more than 60,380 Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) with 4.46 crore enrolled students and 16 lakh faculty members (AISHE 2022–23). According to the NCRB’s 2022 report, 13,044 students died by suicide, accounting for 7.6% of all suicide deaths.