IIT-B student found dead in Jogeshwari hotel, suicide suspected
Police recovered over two dozen empty strips of anti-depression tablets from Swain’s room (Representational Image)
A 22-year-old Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) student was found dead in a hotel room in Mumbai’s Jogeshwari area earlier this week.
Police suspect that the deceased, Jaideep Swain, was likely suffering from depression and ended his own life.
According to police, Swain left the IIT hostel last Friday (August 31) after telling his roommate that he was heading to his home in Chhattisgarh. He checked into Treebo hotel in Jogeshwari West the same day.
After some guest complained of a foul smell emanating from the room on Monday (September 3), the cleaning staff of the hotel knocked on the door of Swain’s room.
When they failed to get a response, the management informed Amboli police and opened the door with a spare key in the cop’s presence.
Police found the first year MTech student lying unconscious inside the room, following which he was rushed to the hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.
The official said Swain had sent a mail to his sister Jagruti before taking the extreme step, stating that he was ‘feeling sorry for going off-track’ and that no one should be held responsible for his action.
Police have registered a case of accidental death and further investigation is underway.
As of now, cops are not suspecting foul play and believe that Swain overdosed on antidepressant pills. Over two dozen empty tablet strips were recovered from his room.
His father, Pradeep, who arrived in the city on Monday to claim the body told reporters that he did not know what prompted his son to take the extreme step.
Swain had graduated from Government Engineering College in his native city of Raipur in Chhatisgarh. He had joined IIT-B in July.
