The Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (IIT-M) has suspended professor Ashish Kumar Sen after a five-member inquiry committee found him responsible for the suicide of research scholar Sachin Kumar Jain in March this year. The committee found Ashish, a professor in the Mechanical Engineering department, solely responsible for the suicide. Sachin, a 31-year-old PhD scholar, was found dead in his house on March 31, after posting a WhatsApp status saying, “I am sorry, not good enough”. His family accused Ashish Kumar, who was Sachin’s PhD guide, of exerting “undue pressure” on Sachin and sought a detailed probe into his death.
In a six-page letter to IIT Madras Director Professor V Kamakoti, Sachin’s brother Bhavesh alleged that Sachin was often reprimanded and overloaded with work, despite Sachin being under medication for mental health issues which Ashish was aware of. “Sachin decided to take his own life after the inhuman treatment meted out to him by his PhD guide,” Bhavesh alleged.
Soon after this, an internal committee with five members – former Director General of Police G Thilagavathi as chairperson, former IAS officers Sabitha and Kannagi Packianathan, Professor Ravindra Giddu and student representative Amal – was formed. One of the committee members confirmed to TNM that they recommended action against the professor.
According to a The Hindu report, the committee conducted a detailed probe into the matter and questioned fellow students, friends, wardens, faculty members and Sachin’s family, following which a report with nearly 35 findings was submitted to the IIT-M management. One of the findings of the committee was that Sachin’s research work, which was supposed to be completed in five years, was extended to nearly eight years because of Ashish. In addition, the committee also found that Ashish humiliated Sachin and isolated him from other lab work. Based on this report, the university board of governors placed Ashish under suspension.
Read: ‘I have little faith in investigation’: Brother of deceased IIT Madras PhD scholar
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