A 19-year-old second-year BA student at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), Irtiqa Sameer, died on August 12 after she was found hanging in her room at the university’s Indira Gandhi (IG) Hall.
According to preliminary information, some of her friends went to check on her after her mother called and saw that the room was dark and the door was locked. When there was no response, the door was reportedly broken open, following which she was found inside.
She was taken to Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, where doctors reportedly declared her dead. Irtiqa, a resident of Kolkata, West Bengal, was pursuing Philosophy at AMU. Her family has been informed and is expected to reach Aligarh, following which the postmortem and other legal procedures are likely to be carried out. Police and university authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding her death. Her mobile phone and other relevant material are reportedly being examined, while statements from students and others present at the hostel are being recorded.
AMU Proctor Professor Naved Khan while talking to reporters said, “The student’s name is Istikhara Sameer. She was a second-year B.A. student and a resident of Howrah, West Bengal. As soon as we learned about the incident last night, the female warden and Professor Ma’am reached the hostel within 7–8 minutes…”
To which Aligarh Police replied taking social media platform X, “Following an information, the local police, along with the field unit team, conducted a scene inspection and sent the body to the mortuary for postmortem examination. Further legal proceedings have been initiated. The situation at the scene is peaceful,”
No official reason for her death has been established so far, and it would be premature to attribute it to academic pressure, family circumstances, mental-health concerns or any other factor.
‘She was always smiling’: Friends remember Irtiqa as a vibrant student. When asked about Irtiqa’s demeanour in the days leading up to her death, fellow hostellers described her as cheerful, outgoing and deeply involved in campus life.
“She was a very jolly child, an all-rounder,” one hosteller said, recalling her active participation in extracurricular activities. According to her peers, Irtiqa was particularly active in the Cultural Education Centre (CEC) and was known for her debating skills and several achievements.
Her seniors also remembered her for her warm and respectful nature. “Whenever she saw a senior, she would greet them,” said a fellow hosteller.
Friends described her as extremely extroverted and someone who was often the one making others laugh. According to students who knew her, no one around her anticipated that she might take such a step.
Even her closest friend was reportedly left shocked by the news. These accounts, however, cannot establish what Irtiqa may have been experiencing privately and should not be treated as an explanation for her death.
Not an isolated concern
Irtiqa’s death comes after reports of other student deaths at AMU in recent years. On February 20, 2025, Mohammad Shakir, a first-year MA Theology student, was reportedly found dead at Mumtaz Hostel. On October 24, 2025, a second year Political Science student was reportedly found dead inside her hostel room at AMU Women’s College. Earlier, on January 12, 2026, a 20-year-old final-year diploma student reportedly died by suicide inside her hostel room.
These cases had their own circumstances and were subject to separate investigations. No common cause should be presumed.
The incidents, however, come amid a wider concern over student suicides across India. According to the latest available National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, 13,892 students died by suicide in India in 2023, accounting for around 8.1% of all reported suicide deaths that year. The number stood at 13,044 in 2022 and 8,423 in 2013, representing an increase of nearly 65% over a decade.
That translates to an average of around 38 student lives lost every day in 2023. Irtiqa’s death now adds another name to those numbers, while the investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death continue. For a 19-year-old with a whole life ahead of her, she deserved to be more than a statistic.
