AIIMS Patna, July 2025 – The recent suicide of Yadvendra Sahu, a first-year MD student in Obstetrics and Gynaecology at AIIMS Patna, has sent shockwaves through the medical and student community. Found dead in his hostel room under mysterious circumstances, his death has once again reignited a grim conversation—why are suicides becoming disturbingly frequent at one of India’s premier medical institutions?
This is not an isolated incident. Over the past decade, AIIMS Patna has witnessed multiple suicides—ranging from undergraduate and postgraduate students to even family members of faculty. In 2023, a PG student was found dead in his room, allegedly due to personal distress. In 2020, three COVID-19 patients ended their lives within the hospital’s care. In 2018, a professor’s teenage son died by suicide inside the campus. The cumulative trend raises serious concerns not just about mental health but also about the environment within the institution.
⚠️ Is There a Pattern? Or a Deeper Problem?
The repetitive nature of these tragedies cannot be dismissed as coincidence. While medical education is notoriously demanding, and students often face intense pressure, AIIMS Patna appears to be facing an unusually high frequency of such incidents. What’s more troubling is that most of these cases end with vague explanations or are brushed aside as “personal reasons” or “mental health struggles.”
AIIMS‑Patna Related Suicide Incidents
1. June 2018 – Son of AIIMS faculty (Akshat Kumar)
A 15‑year‑old boy, son of a physiology associate professor at AIIMS Patna, shot himself dead inside the residential housing allocated on campus, using a country‑made pistol. Reasons remain unclear and investigations were ongoing. Reddit+15www.ndtv.com+15The Times of India+15
2. September 2023 – Postgraduate junior doctor (‘Nilesh’)
A PG student (MD Anaesthesia) who had worked as a junior doctor was found dead in his hostel room after returning from duty. He left a four‑page suicide note reportedly referencing personal (“girlfriend”) issues. Authorities described the cause as unknown; investigations ongoing at the time. India Today
3. June–July 2020 – Multiple COVID‑19 patients
At least three COVID‑19 patients in patients at AIIMS‑Patna died by suicide in mid‑2020:
- June 22, 2020: 38‑year‑old diabetic Covid‑positive patient (resident of Khagaul), committed suicide by hanging hours before a negative test arrived. The New Indian Express+5Hindustan Times+5The Times of India+5
- July 24, 2020: A 21‑year‑old Covid‑positive youth, Rohit Kumar, jumped from a third‑floor bathroom window. The Times of India+9The New Indian Express+9The Times of India+9
- October 25, 2020: A 68‑year‑old man (from Siwan), a third known Covid‑19 suicide at AIIMS - in the bathroom of hospital ward. The Times of India+7Hindustan Times+7The Times of India+7
But is that the whole truth?
- Why are suicide notes almost always missing?
- Why do peers and staff often report silence or fear when speaking about campus life?
- Are students being failed by an insensitive or indifferent administrative system?
- Could there be institutional stress, harassment, or systemic burnout that’s being overlooked or even covered up?
These are not questions that can be answered by post-mortems alone. They require an impartial, high-level investigation—preferably independent of AIIMS Patna’s own internal inquiry systems.
💬 Voices Silenced, Truths Unspoken
Students who’ve left or graduated from the institute sometimes speak privately of an environment that lacks emotional support, transparency, or active redressal mechanisms. The hierarchical structure, often fueled by academic bullying, long hours, and an unsaid culture of silence, can create a toxic ecosystem.
When an institution that’s supposed to heal and nurture begins to wither its own—we are not just facing a medical crisis but a moral and structural collapse.
🔍 What Needs to Be Done?
- Independent Judicial Inquiry into all suicides over the last 10 years, especially those with missing or inconclusive reports.
- Mandatory Mental Health Audits by third-party experts every year.
- Anonymous Grievance and Counseling Cells run by external agencies.
- Protection of Whistleblowers within the campus willing to share uncomfortable truths.
- Transparent Reporting System on suicide investigations, mental health resources, and disciplinary proceedings.
🕯️ Not Just Statistics, But Lives
Every suicide is not just a data point—it’s a human being, a family shattered, and a future extinguished. The nation cannot afford to turn a blind eye while our brightest minds crumble under invisible pressure. The onus lies not just on the administration but on the medical community, government, media, and society at large to demand answers and push for change.
AIIMS Patna must confront its ghosts—not hide them.
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