IIT Kanpur scholar’s death: suspended doctor given clean chit

Kanpur, Aug 23 (PTI) A doctor at IIT Kanpur’s HealthCentre, who was suspended and booked in connection with thedeath of a 26-year-old research scholar, was reinstated heretoday after a fact finding committee gave him a clean chit inthe case. Students at IIT Kanpur had boycotted classes and held athree-day long agitation after the death of Alok Pandey (26),a PhD student of Material Science Programme, on August 8. The administration had claimed that the scholar died dueto a cardiac arrest, whereas the students of the hostel andhis brother Adarsh Kumar Pandey had alleged that Alok diedafter he was given an injection by a doctor at the centrewithout conducting any tests. A fact finding committee consisting of three doctors andtwo students from the college was formed to probe the case.The report submitted to the IIT administration today, hasgiven a clean chit to the suspended Dr Shailendra Kishore,saying he was not careless while administering an injection tothe scholar, a statement released by the institute said. On Aug 8, Alok had complained of severe chest and neckpain after which he was rushed to the institute’s healthcentre. As his condition deteriorated, he was referred to acardiology centre. However, he died on way to hospital. An FIR was also registered under IPC Section 304 A(causing death by rash or negligent act) against Kishore, theWarden In-charge, Guide Kamal Kekar and the hospitaladministrator, Kanpur SSP Shalabh Mathur had said. According to some sources in IIT, action may be takenagainst the students who boycotted classes after the scholar’sdeath. Now, the five-member committee, led by Prof KL Chopra, aformer director of IIT-Kharagpur, is investigationg thereasons behind the students’ agitaion. PTI ZIR ARK DVARK