Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The post-mortem report of the recently deceased BITS Pilani-Goa campus student has revealed that the death was not a case of suicide but the result of health neglect.
Dr. Madhu Ghodkirekar, who conducted the autopsy, confirmed that the student, who was on anti-depression medication, vomited in his sleep.
The vomit entered his windpipe, causing suffocation and leading to his death while asleep.
Dr. Ghodkirekar stressed that many elite educational institutions fail to provide adequate mental healthcare and attention to their students.
He noted that of the five student deaths reported at BITS Pilani in the past year, two were confirmed suicides, while the remaining three were linked to health neglect rather than intentional self-harm.
The findings come at a time when student welfare and mental health facilities in higher education institutions are under increasing scrutiny.
The student, identified as Rishi Nair, had recently transferred from the Hyderabad campus for one semester.
He was undergoing treatment for a personal health condition, and his parents had moved to Goa to support him during this period.
BITS Pilani said it was fully cooperating with the police investigation to ascertain the cause of death.
“The loss of a young life is an irreparable tragedy and has left the entire community in profound grief,” the institute stated, while extending condolences to the family and urging students to seek counseling support.
