Burnt body on IIT-Madras campus was of project staff

CHENNAI: The half-burnt body of a young man found on IIT Madras premises on Thursday night belonged to one Unni Krishnan Nair, a Kerala native who worked as a project staff at the institution. Police said they found an 11-page suicide note at his house in Velachery. They said he took the extreme step owing to ‘personal reasons’. The body was identified as that of Unni Krishnan by his parents who arrived from Kerala’s Ernakulam. The body’s face and a few other parts were found half-burnt, sources said. 

A senior police officer said that Unni Krishnan Nair immolated himself due to personal reasons. The police, however, are investigating why he chose the institution as the location. The body was found in the thickets near the campus hockey field around 8 pm on Thursday. Subsequently, the Kotturpuram police reached the spot and sent the body to Government Royapettah Hospital for autopsy. The police have registered a case of unnatural death. 

The IIT management, in a statement, said the police are investigating the incident and that the institute was fully cooperating with the investigating officers. “An unfortunate and tragic incident occurred yesterday at IIT Madras Campus, involving a temporary project staff. The project staff whose body was found had joined the Institute in April 2021 and was living outside the campus,” it said, adding: “We are shocked and deeply grieved, and convey our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends, and colleagues of the departed soul,” it added. Assistance for those having suicidal thoughts is available on Tamil Nadu’s health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050