A 2nd-year MSc (Applied Chemistry) student at the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) in Pune died by suicide on Thursday, officials said on Tuesday. Preliminary findings suggest that he was in a state of depression, they added.

According to a release issued by the Press Information Bureau (Defence Wing), the deceased student has been identified as Aneet Abhishek.

"We are deeply saddened to inform about the unfortunate demise of Aneet Abhishek, a meritorious and sincere student of 2nd-year MSc (Applied Chemistry), who attempted to take his own life on 17th April 2025 by hanging himself from a ceiling fan in his room (Krishna Hostel)," read the release.

"His friends noticed his absence since morning and repeatedly tried contacting him. In the evening of 17/04/2025, around 08:30pm, when he didn’t respond, they reached his room and found the door locked from inside. On breaking the door, Aneet was found hanging from the ceiling fan. He was immediately taken to a nearby hospital by the institute's ambulance, where he was declared dead. Later, he was transferred to Sassoon General Hospital for post-mortem as per the protocol. His family, along with the police, were informed accordingly. The team of Nanded City Police Station visited the place of the incident and seized his belongings, including his laptop, mobile and tablet, for further investigation. The police also found a suicide note," it added.

Speaking to The Free Press Journal, DCP Sambhaji Kadam said the deceased student hasn't blamed anyone in the suicide note. "In the suicide note, no particular person or authority is blamed; he himself has taken the responsibility for his death. In fact, in the note, he has thanked everyone for their support, from his teachers to his parents," he said.

"Preliminary findings suggest that he was in a state of depression. For the last two years, after taking admission in MSc, he did not go to his hometown in Odisha even once," Kadam added.

Meanwhile, a condolence meeting was organised at DIAT on Monday. "During the condolence meeting, students were counselled and requested to contact the institute authority and faculty for any problems. They were further advised to approach the institute counsellor in case of any stress-related issues," the release stated.