A 19-year-old BTech student at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) allegedly ended his life at his hostel room on Thursday (August 6) morning.According to the police, the student, identified as Rakshan, was found unresponsive in his room, and the staff and other students alerted the police. A handwritten note was recovered from the spot. Its contents are being examined as part of the investigation.The incident is suspected to have occurred on Wednesday (August 5) night and came to light on Thursday (August 6) morning after hostel authorities alerted the police. The student’s body has been sent for postmortem examination.The Sadashivanagar police have registered a case of unnatural death and are investigating the circumstances that led to the student’s death. Police sources said the student was reportedly under stress over academic performance, though the exact reasons are yet to be established.Meanwhile, IISc expressed grief over the student’s death and conveyed condolences to his family and friends. The institute said it remains committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for students and encouraged members of the campus community facing emotional distress to seek help through its mental health support services.IISc said students can access its 24x7 emergency counselling service, online counselling facilities, and consultations with counsellors and psychiatrists through the institute’s Wellness Centre.(If you are in distress or having suicidal tendencies, please reach out to these helplines: TeleMANAS at 1-8008914416/ 14416, NIMHANS at 08026685948, 9480829670 or SAHAI at 080 25497777, +91-9886444075) Published - August 06, 2026 09:35 pm IST