Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji
Panaji, May 13: A 26-year-old PhD scholar from BITS Pilani Goa Campus was found dead in a rented apartment near the institute premises, adding to a growing series of student suicides associated with the campus over the past two years.
The deceased, identified as Arjun Sabu, was a second-year doctoral student from Kerala. According to sources, he was discovered hanging inside a rented flat located behind the campus on Tuesday. Police reportedly recovered a suicide note from the scene, though officials have not yet disclosed details regarding its contents.
Personnel from the Verna police station reached the location soon after the incident and initiated an investigation. The body has been sent for postmortem examination while authorities continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the death.
This is the seventh reported suicide involving a student connected to the Goa campus of BITS Pilani. Unlike earlier incidents, which reportedly occurred within hostel or campus premises, the latest case took place in an off-campus rented accommodation.
The series of incidents began in December 2024 with the death of Om Priyan Singh, a dual-degree student pursuing Computer Science and Chemistry. In March 2025, another student, Atharv Desai, allegedly died by suicide inside the campus.
Further concern followed in May 2025 when Krishna Kasera, a second-year dual-degree student, was found dead in his hostel room. The case drew attention after family members raised suspicions and sought a detailed inquiry into the circumstances of the death.
In August 2025, Kushagra Jain, an Economics and Computer Science student, was also found dead inside his hostel accommodation, with police registering the matter as an unnatural death pending medical findings.
Another incident occurred in September 2025 involving Rishi Nair, a second-year MSc Physics student, whose death intensified concerns among students and parents regarding stress and support systems on campus.
Most recently, in February 2026, Vaishnavi Jitesh, a third-year Electronics and Communication Engineering student, was found dead in another suspected suicide case within the institute premises.
The repeated incidents have triggered wider debate around student mental health, academic pressure, and the adequacy of counselling and welfare mechanisms available to students at higher educational institutions. Authorities are continuing their investigation into the latest case involving Arjun Sabu.