Chandigarh, Jan 15: A 19-year-old BTech student at Punjab Engineering College (PEC) died by suicide on Wednesday afternoon after reportedly struggling with severe mental health issues. The teenager, a first-year student originally from Uttar Pradesh, had returned early to the campus after winter break to appear for re-examinations he had missed in December.
According to college authorities and classmates, the student allegedly consumed a poisonous substance in his single-occupancy hostel room before immediately alerting a friend to call for medical help. He was initially rushed to GMSH-16 and later referred to PGIMER, where he succumbed during treatment.
Police recovered a suicide note from the room in which the student expressed his ongoing struggle with depression and anxiety. Officers have initiated inquest proceedings to determine how the student obtained the poisonous substance.
“He was a calm boy, but he was going through issues, including palpitations, vomiting and panic attacks,” a close friend mentioned, adding that they had previously helped him book counseling sessions at the college.
Dean of Student Affairs DR Prajapati noted that the student was academically bright and was already undergoing professional psychiatric treatment at PGIMER. The institute maintains two full-time counselors; however, officials mentioned that the counselor assigned to the student was currently out of town at the time of the incident.
PEC officials said that the student had joined the institute in September 2025 but had struggled to appear for his first-semester finals in December despite being physically present on campus. The administration is now reviewing its mental health support protocols to ensure resources are more effectively reaching students in distress.
