The news that the post-mortem report of a 20-year-old BITS Pilani Goa campus student was reserved and his viscera sent for chemical analysis has left parents, academicians and students questioning the recent spate of deaths at the institute. This latest case marks the fourth fatality in less than a year, fuelling unease on campus and beyond.
Verna Police Inspector Anand Shirodkar confirmed, “The autopsy report of the boy who was found dead in his room at BITS Pilani has come and the cause of death has been reserved and his viscera has been sent for further tests.”
The post-mortem was conducted at the South Goa District Hospital, Margao, where the Police Surgeon certified: “Opinion as to the cause of death is kept pending the reports of chemical analysis of viscera, histopathological examination of tissues and toxicology analysis of blood.”
Police investigations so far indicate that the student, Jain, had played table tennis with friends shortly before his death and was active on his WhatsApp group until 2.12 pm, where he even posted a message. Officers recorded statements of five students, including a close friend, and during a search of his hostel room found soft drinks and an energy drink. The forensic team also inspected the spot. While foul play has been ruled out for now, police have registered a case of unnatural death pending further inquiry. The body was later handed over to his family, with his father present.
Medical experts believe the reserved report raises troubling questions. “When the cause of death is reserved, it rules out death due to cardiac failure. Though I have not performed the autopsy, it is obvious some details need to be confirmed and hence the viscera is being sent for more examinations,” explained Dr Madhu Ghodkirekar, head of the Forensic Department at South Goa District Hospital.
Former GMC forensic head Dr Silvano Sapeco was more categorical. “How is it that a twenty-year-old with no life-threatening ailment could have died a natural death? It is obvious it was not natural. In view of the viscera being sent for further tests, it is likely that the individual was a victim of consumption or inhalation of some substance,” Sapeco asserted.
“This needs to be corroborated by the friends and colleagues who were with him. Probably, they will not be open but the police will need to investigate thoroughly because drugs are rampant in most campuses,” he added.
Students acknowledge some recreational use but deny widespread abuse. “Some of my colleagues smoke grass or hash and even drink, but I have not come across hard drugs on campus. Maybe it happens and I’m unaware. Anyway, I am here to study,” said a female student on condition of anonymity.
Inspector Shirodkar admitted that enforcement remains challenging. “We are keeping an eye around the campus but without specific information it is difficult for us to just go into somebody’s room for a check. We caught an individual in Verna recently with around two kilograms of drugs.”
The spate of deaths has left medical professionals and academics demanding closer scrutiny. The first student death was in December 2024, followed by cases in March and May 2025, and now this latest one in August. Two of the earlier deaths were officially classified as suicides. “I first raised the alarm when the first death was reported and nobody bothered. Now that the number of deaths is increasing, people are having a rethink on the causes,” said a concerned Dr Ghodkirekar, adding, “the government must step in.”
“It is sad that the fourth student has passed away from the same college in less than a year. Academic pressures are there in professional colleges but not so many deaths in such a short span of time. It is time for people to start thinking out of the box, to get to the truth,” observed Dr Melwin D’Souza, assistant professor of Chemistry at St Joseph Vaz College, Cortalim.
BITS Pilani’s public relations officer, Arjun Halarnkar, maintained that the institute enforces strict measures. “Drugs and alcohol are banned on campus. Students are checked at the gate and if found with drugs, they are reported to the police; if with alcohol, they face internal disciplinary action. What happens outside the campus is not in our control and that is the job of the authorities. Our responsibility starts when they enter the campus. We cannot control what the students do outside.”
The BITS Pilani Goa campus has a daily footfall of over 4,000, while the Verna police station, under whose jurisdiction it falls, is tasked with monitoring crime across eight village panchayats. A senior police officer admitted that the station is functioning at around half its sanctioned strength but rejected suggestions of inaction. “I do admit that police stations are understaffed and Verna is one of them. But the solution is not in blaming us,” he said.
“This needs to be corroborated by the friends and colleagues who were with him. Probably, they will not be open but the police will need to investigate thoroughly because drugs are rampant in most campuses,” he added.
Students acknowledge some recreational use but deny widespread abuse. “Some of my colleagues smoke grass or hash and even drink, but I have not come across hard drugs on campus. Maybe it happens and I’m unaware. Anyway, I am here to study,” said a female student on condition of anonymity.
Inspector Shirodkar admitted that enforcement remains challenging. “We are keeping an eye around the campus but without specific information it is difficult for us to just go into somebody’s room for a check. We caught an individual in Verna recently with around two kilograms of drugs.”
The spate of deaths has left medical professionals and academics demanding closer scrutiny. The first student death was in December 2024, followed by cases in March and May 2025, and now this latest one in August. Two of the earlier deaths were officially classified as sui-cides. “I first raised the alarm when the first death was reported and nobody bothered. Now that the number of deaths is increasing, people are having a rethink on the causes,” said a concerned Dr Ghodkirekar, adding, “the government must step in.”
“It is sad that the fourth student has passed away from the same college in less than a year. Academic pressures are there in professional colleges but not so many deaths in such a short span of time. It is time for people to start thinking out of the box, to get to the truth,” ob-served Dr Melwin D’Souza, assistant professor of Chemistry at St Joseph Vaz College, Cortalim.
BITS Pilani’s public relations officer, Arjun Halarnkar, maintained that the institute enforces strict measures. “Drugs and alcohol are banned on campus. Students are checked at the gate and if found with drugs, they are reported to the police; if with alcohol, they face internal dis-ciplinary action. What happens outside the campus is not in our control and that is the job of the authorities. Our responsibility starts when they enter the campus. We cannot control what the students do outside.”
The BITS Pilani Goa campus has a daily footfall of over 4,000, while the Verna police station, under whose jurisdiction it falls, is tasked with monitoring crime across eight village panchayats. A senior police officer admitted that the station is functioning at around half its sanctioned strength but rejected suggestions of inaction. “I do admit that police stations are understaffed and Verna is one of them. But the solution is not in blaming us,” he said.