Parents allege hostel room was cleaned and fellow students sent on leave; IIM Sirmaur management accused of negligence
Nahan: The family of a student who died under suspicious circumstances at the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Sirmaur has sought a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe and demanded that the case be handed over to the CBI.
The deceased student, Prarambh Shukla, was pursuing a Bachelor of Management Studies course at IIM Sirmaur. His father, Anupam Shukla, and uncle, Shyam Shukla, addressed the media in Nahan on Monday and levelled serious allegations against the institute’s management, claiming that crucial evidence connected with the death may have been removed from the hostel room.
According to the family, the room in which the student was staying was allegedly cleaned after the incident, raising concerns over the preservation of possible evidence. The family also alleged that students who had been staying with or around the deceased had been sent on leave after being intimidated.
The allegations have been made by the family, and an independent investigation into these specific claims is being sought.
Anupam Shukla said his son had spoken to his mother over the phone on August 17, after which the family lost contact with him. When his phone was later found switched off, the family said they contacted the hostel in-charge and the institute’s director to enquire about his condition.
On August 21, the family allegedly received a call from a coordinator informing them that Prarambh was unwell and asking them to reach the institute at the earliest. A few hours later, they received a call from Paonta Sahib police informing them of his death.
The father also questioned why the family was allegedly not informed when the student had reportedly attempted self-harm several days earlier. He further alleged that his son had faced harassment during 2025.
The family has maintained that Prarambh was a meritorious and otherwise normal student and has questioned the circumstances surrounding his death.
For the past three days, the parents and other family members have been seeking what they describe as a fair and high-level investigation. They have approached Sirmaur Superintendent of Police Nishchint Singh Negi with a demand for the constitution of an SIT.
Social worker Nathu Ram Chauhan was also present during the media interaction.
The family has urged the authorities to conduct a detailed and impartial investigation, preserve and examine all relevant evidence, and determine the circumstances leading to the student’s death.
