IIM Bangalore student’s death under investigation amid allegations of caste discrimination

The death of Nilay Kailashbhai Patel, a student at the Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIM-B), has ignited a heated online debate over caste discrimination.

Social media posts suggest the possibility that Patel may have taken his own life due to such discrimination.

In response, the All India OBC Students Association (AIOBCSA) has called for an official clarification from IIM-B regarding the circumstances of his death.

“We demand IIM Bangalore to provide clarity on this critical issue. The institution lacks adequate mechanisms to address the concerns of marginalised communities, a matter we have repeatedly highlighted,” AIOBCSA said in a post on X.

Additionally, the association has called on Union Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan and the Ministry of Education to take action immediately.

The AIOBCSA added, "We call upon the Education Minister of India to take immediate action to prevent student suicides and to strengthen institutional support systems for students from marginalised backgrounds."

The 29-year-old postgraduate student Patel was discovered dead on Jan 5 after falling from the second floor of the institute.

According to the authorities, the early investigation indicates that the fall was accidental. They said suicide was unlikely because they couldn't find a suicide note.

"We are awaiting the post-mortem report, which will likely come in three days, to ascertain the cause of death," the police added.

According to available information, Patel celebrated his 29th birthday with friends on Jan 4. After cutting a cake in a friend's room, he allegedly returned to his own room shortly after midnight.

He was later found lying in the hostel courtyard around 6:30 am on Jan 5. Security personnel spotted him and quickly rushed him to the hospital, where he was declared dead.

"It is with profound sadness that IIM Bangalore shares the news of the untimely passing of our PGP 2023-25 student," IIM-B posted a condolence statement on its X page shortly after the incident.

Later, the investigation was launched by the police after they filed a case of unnatural death.