Archive · 14 Aug 2026
IIT Kharagpur Student Dies After Fall From Campus Building
A student at a big engineering university in India died after falling from a building.
His name was Ankit Sharma, and he was a second-year student studying mechanical engineering from the state of Rajasthan.
On Thursday afternoon, around 3 p.m., he fell from a campus building called Nalanda.
Other students and security guards nearby found him and rushed him to the university hospital.
Sadly, the doctors could not save him.
Police are now trying to find out exactly what happened and whether the fall was an accident or not.
Some news reports say he fell from the third floor, while another says the fourth floor.
His age is also reported differently — 18 in one report and 19 in others.
His death is reported as the ninth on the campus in the last 15 months, which has worried many people.
The police are still investigating, and a post-mortem will be held on Friday.
Ankit Sharma, a second-year Mechanical Engineering student from Rajasthan, died on Thursday after falling from the Nalanda building at IIT Kharagpur.
Reports differ on details: he was described as 18 in one report and 19 in others, and the fall was from the third floor or third-floor terrace in three reports and the fourth floor in another.
He was rushed to B.C. Roy Technology Hospital on the IIT campus, where doctors declared him dead.
Police from the Hijli outpost of Kharagpur Town police station are reviewing CCTV footage and questioning students and hostel residents to determine whether the fall was accidental or otherwise.
An IIT official said his death is the ninth on the campus in the last 15 months; a post-mortem is scheduled for Friday.
- Who
- Ankit Sharma, a second-year Mechanical Engineering student from Rajasthan (reported as 18 in one report and 19 in others)
- What
- Died after falling from the Nalanda building on the IIT Kharagpur campus; reports differ on whether he fell from the third or fourth floor
- When
- Thursday afternoon, around 3 p.m.
- Where
- Nalanda building, IIT Kharagpur campus, West Midnapore district
- Why
- Under investigation; police have not determined whether the fall was accidental or otherwise
Concerned voices
IIT Kharagpur administration
Campus deaths and student well-being
Concerned voices
A survey by campus media body Awaaz found 'significant gaps in the emotional support available to students,' and a Supreme Court bench in July questioned why students were dying at the institute, asking 'What is wrong with your IIT Kharagpur?'
IIT Kharagpur administration
The institute says it has appointed a dean of students' well-being and a dean of hall management to help students facing emotional distress and has introduced parent induction programmes alongside student induction programmes, steps its director outlined in his convocation address.
- Victim
- Ankit Sharma
- Reported age
- 18 (one report) or 19 (other reports)
- Course and year
- Second-year, Mechanical Engineering
- Hometown
- Rajasthan; Nagaur per two reports
- Incident location
- Nalanda building, IIT Kharagpur campus, West Midnapore district
- Reported floor
- Third floor or third-floor terrace (three reports) or fourth floor (one report)
- Time of incident
- Around 3 p.m., Thursday
- Investigating unit
- Hijli outpost, Kharagpur Town police station
