Koj Buker Suicide: NIT Silchar Students Call Off Hunger Strike as Director Commits to Removing Dean Academic Dr. BK Roy

In a significant turn of events, the hunger strike that had engulfed the campus of the National Institute of Technology Silchar (NIT Silchar) since Monday morning has been called off. The decision to end the strike came after the Director of NIT Silchar, Professor Dilip Kumar Baidya, provided assurances that Dr. BK Roy, the Dean Academic, would be removed from his position within the next two days.

Speaking to Barak Bulletin, the student leader at the forefront of the protest revealed that the students who had voluntarily joined the hunger strike decided to cease their protest after the director’s commitment. “The director Sir also assured that no academic or judicial action will be taken against the students who volunteered in the protests against the administration following the suicide of Koj Buker,” the student added.

The hunger strike, which began as a mark of protest against the administration following the tragic suicide of third-year student Koj Buker, had intensified over the past days. Students were demanding justice for Buker and a change in the college’s leadership.

“We wanted to send a message across all NITs in the country and other institutions that behind every suicide, there is a story that could have been addressed and a life that could have been saved,” explained the student leader.

The root cause of the students’ anger was their belief that Professor BK Roy, the Dean Academic, bore responsibility for Koj Buker’s suicide. They had demanded his immediate removal from his position. However, the situation took a troubling turn when Professor Roy’s residence was vandalized, leading to charges against several students for their involvement in the incident.

In addition to the removal of the Dean, the protesting students had also called for the revocation of charges filed against them during previous protests related to Koj Buker’s suicide. These charges had further fueled the tension on campus.

Efforts by the NIT Silchar management to quell the hunger strike had included various tactics. Students were warned of potential consequences, such as companies withdrawing from campus placement drives due to the tense atmosphere. Furthermore, the management marked protesting students as absent, potentially jeopardizing their academic standing due to attendance criteria.

As the hunger strike comes to an end, NIT Silchar now stands at a crossroads, with both students and administration hoping for a resolution that can address the students’ concerns and restore normalcy to the institution.