New Delhi: Former Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar, a retired 1989-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, who was appointed chairman of a five-member panel constituted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi to examine the circumstances surrounding the death of a 31-year-old MSc Physics student, has recused himself from the committee, citing personal reasons.
The development comes amid continued student protests at the IIT Delhi campus over the student’s death. The institute has said that a new panel will be constituted soon, although its composition has not yet been announced.
Ashok Kumar Recuses Himself From Probe Panel
The IIT Delhi administration had constituted the five-member committee on Tuesday following protests by students and concerns surrounding the circumstances that led to the student’s death.
Ashok Kumar, a 1989-batch retired IPS officer and former Director General of Police of Uttarakhand, had been appointed to head the panel. An alumnus of IIT Delhi, Kumar was included as an external member because of his experience in policing and public administration.
However, he has now withdrawn from the panel, with sources citing personal reasons for his decision.
The institute is expected to announce a replacement and constitute a new panel to continue the inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Who Was on the IIT Delhi Committee?
The original five-member committee included Ashok Kumar, along with Pratap Sharma, Head of the Department of Psychiatry at AIIMS, New Delhi, and the Vice-Chancellor of Haryana Sports University.
The panel also included two student representatives and the Registrar of IIT Delhi.
The committee was tasked with examining the circumstances surrounding the student’s death and looking into issues relevant to the incident.
Student Protests Continue on Campus
The constitution of the panel followed protests by students at IIT Delhi. Students had staged demonstrations on campus after the death of the MSc Physics student, prompting the institute administration to suspend classes on Monday.
The recusal of Ashok Kumar has now added a fresh development to the probe, with the institute expected to announce a new committee.
What Happened to the IIT Delhi Student?
The 31-year-old MSc Physics student allegedly died by suicide on August 22 after jumping from a building on the IIT Delhi campus.
According to the preliminary police inquiry, the student entered the campus through the main gate at around 8 am and subsequently went to the Lecture Hall Complex. He reportedly took a lift to the sixth floor before allegedly jumping from the front side of the building.
The student was rushed to the institute’s campus hospital, where he was declared brought dead.
A PCR call regarding the incident was received at around 8:30 am at the Kishangarh police station. A police team subsequently reached the campus, while a crime team and a forensic science laboratory unit were called to examine the scene and collect evidence.
Police Register Abetment to Suicide Case
Police have registered a case of abetment to suicide against unidentified persons in connection with the student’s death.
Investigators have said that no suicide note was recovered from the spot. A mobile phone found in the deceased student’s pocket was seized by police and is being examined as part of the investigation.
Police are also obtaining the student’s counselling records and other relevant information from IIT Delhi as they investigate the circumstances preceding the death.
The institute’s internal probe is expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident alongside the ongoing police investigation.
Who Is Ashok Kumar?
Ashok Kumar is a retired 1989-batch Indian Police Service officer who served as the Director General of Police of Uttarakhand from 2020 to 2023.
Born on November 9, 1963, in Panipat, Haryana, Kumar is an alumnus of IIT Delhi, where he completed his B.Tech and M.Tech.
He entered the IPS and served in several challenging assignments during his career, including postings in Allahabad and Aligarh in undivided Uttar Pradesh before becoming closely associated with policing in Uttarakhand.
Ashok Kumar’s IPS Career
During his career, Kumar held several important policing and central deputation assignments. He served with central police organisations including the Border Security Force (BSF) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
He was also deployed in Kosovo in 2001, for which he received the United Nations Medal.
Kumar subsequently rose to the top police position in Uttarakhand, serving as the state’s DGP from 2020 to 2023. During his tenure, he focused on areas including police modernisation, victim-centric policing, cybercrime prevention and community outreach.
Awards and Recognition
For his service, Ashok Kumar received the Police Medal for Meritorious Service in 2006 and the President’s Police Medal for Distinguished Service in 2013.
His professional interests have also extended beyond policing. He has authored books including Human in Khaki, Challenges to Internal Security of India and Cracking Civil Services: The Open Secret.
Post-Retirement Role
After retiring from the IPS, Kumar continued to remain associated with public institutions.
In 2024, he was appointed Vice-Chancellor of Haryana Sports University, adding an academic and institutional leadership role to his long public-service career.
His association with IIT Delhi also reflects his academic connection with the institution, where he pursued both his undergraduate and postgraduate engineering education.
What Happens Next?
With Ashok Kumar having recused himself, IIT Delhi will constitute a new probe panel to examine the circumstances surrounding the student’s death. The institute is yet to announce the composition of the replacement committee.
Meanwhile, the police investigation, including examination of the student’s phone, counselling records and other evidence, is continuing alongside the institute’s internal inquiry.
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