A 25-year-old PhD student at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Kalyani, West Bengal, died in the hospital on Friday after allegedly attempting to commit suicide the previous day. Anamithra Roy fell ill at the campus and was then rushed to AIIMS Kalyani in a critical condition, a police officer said.
Roy’s family was sad that he died due to sudden heart failure. He was pursuing a Ph.D. in Biology at the institute.
Superintendent of Ranaghat Police district, Aashish Maurya, said that they received information that she was going to die by suicide via a social media post. “Our team rushed to IISER. But we were told that the student has been admitted to AIIMS Kalyani. Initially, he was stable, but he died on Friday. We have registered an unnatural death case. The post-mortem report is awaited,” he told the Indian Express. Officials believe that he may have consumed a poisonous substance.
In the social media post made by Roy, he alleged that he was taking the step due to ragging and harassment. He said that one of his seniors bullied him and that the situation was intolerable. He then accused the campus administration of ignoring multiple complaints.
Just hours before Roy was found on the campus, he had also posted a detailed note on social media alleging harassment by another PhD student, Sourabh Biswas. He said that he and his colleagues were facing repeated verbal abuse in the recent months. He alleged that on April 12 this year, Biswas shouted at him for a prolonged time at the lab.
According to the post, Roy had made multiple complaints to his supervisor, Professor Anindita Bhadra. He had also lodged complaints with the institute's anti-ragging cell, but he received no response. He said that the members of the Student Affairs Council and his supervisor were more concerned with the lab’s reputation.
He also accused his supervisor, who openly praised Biswas’s work despite what he called scientific misconduct. He asked the administration to deny Biswas a Phd and to take action under anti-ragging
Roy had also said that he had been struggling with mental health issues since he was a child and said that he was not made for this world. Ray said that he had been dealing with depression since he was 14 and that he had been recently diagnosed with autism. He also spoke of past physical and mental abuse at home and said that therapy and medication kept him alive till now.
“I was never made for this world, it seems. Yes, I did find some good people, some friends, some bits of love here and there. But I can’t do this anymore. I give up. May I find the peace in death that I never found in life," he stated in his post.
He also said that he attempted suicide in April after an incident. He also said that he changed his therapists multiple times and had recurring bouts of depression during his academic career.
IISER reacted to the student's death, saying that the student's untimely demise has shocked the community. “With deep sadness and grief, we announce the untimely and tragic demise of our PhD student, Mr Anamitra Roy, on August 8, 2025, at AIIMS, Kalyani. We are all in mourning for the passing of a member of our community, who by all apparent markers was doing quite well in academics and was actively engaged with the larger community. We offer our sincere condolences to his immediate family, his friends, and his well-wishers,” the college stated in its post.
Roy’s batchmates have said that he recently argued with his guide at the laboratory.
Also read
Polic have reached out to both Roy’s family and the Institute's authorities. A formal complaint about his death has not been made yet. Investigators are also examining the circumstances surrounding his death.