Troubling Times at BITS Pilani Goa: Another Student Death Shocks Campus
PANJIM, Goa, India – August 18, 2025:It’s bad news from BITS Pilani K. K. Birla Goa Campus. A 20-year-old student, Kushagra Jain, was found dead in his dorm room on Saturday, August 16, 2025. This is the fourth student death at the school in just nine months.
Verna Police are on the case, calling it an unnatural death and starting an investigation. The initial autopsy didn’t give them much to work with. Kushagra was a third-year student studying economics and computer science. This latest death has people really worried about how students are doing, especially with the pressure to succeed at such a well-known school. Sadly, there have been three suicides there since December 2024.
How It Was Found and What the School Did
Kushagra Jain, who was from Uttar Pradesh, was found dead around 11 a.m. His friends and the people in charge of the dorm got worried when he wasn’t answering his phone. His dad couldn’t reach him either, so he called Kushagra’s friends. They found his room locked from the inside and found him in his bed, not moving.
The school’s medical team got there quickly, but it was too late. They called the Verna Police, who started looking into things. One officer said it looks like he died of natural causes, but they need the autopsy and other tests to be sure.
What the Police Are Doing
They sent the body to the South Goa District Hospital for the autopsy. Police say the first report wasn’t clear, so they’re doing more tests on his organs. They also took some stuff from his room, like energy drink cans, to check out.
The police have talked to Kushagra’s friends and family. His friends said he was a good student, almost a straight-A student, and didn’t have any known problems with anyone. They last saw him chatting online around 2 a.m. Saturday and playing table tennis the night before. The police are checking everything to figure out what happened.
Too Many Deaths: Is There a Bigger Problem?
This is the fourth death at the school since December 2024, which is really alarming. Before this, Om Priyan Singh (21) died in December 2024, and Atharv Desai (20) died in March 2025. Both were said to be suicides. Then, in May 2025, Krishna Kasera (20) from Lucknow, who was in a similar program as Kushagra, also reportedly committed suicide.
After the earlier deaths, BITS Pilani started looking into things themselves and promised to make changes to help students feel less stressed and take care of their well-being. They said they would change the classes, have more counselors available, and start a helpline that’s open all the time.
A Bigger Issue: Stress and Mental Health
What’s happening at BITS Pilani is a sign of a bigger problem in India: students are under a lot of pressure and have mental health issues. National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) numbers show that more and more students are taking their own lives because of exam stress. Students feel like they have to be perfect, and that, along with family and social expectations, can make them feel alone and like they can’t handle things.
Even the Supreme Court of India is concerned and wants all schools to have mental health support for students. Experts say that many students don’t get help because they’re ashamed or scared to admit they’re struggling. These recent deaths at BITS Pilani show that colleges need to do a better job of providing support for students’ well-being.
What the University Is Doing Now
BITS Pilani K. K. Birla Goa Campus said in a statement that they are very sad about Kushagra Jain’s death. They said he passed away in his sleep and that they will help the police in any way they can. They also said they’re doing everything they can to support the students and teachers who are grieving.
People are wondering if the changes the school made before are really helping. Students are upset and want the school to find out why these tragedies keep happening. The school says they’re taking this seriously and will keep trying to help students feel better.
