Following the tragic death of the fifth student at the BITS Pilani, Goa, Aam Admi Party MLA Cruz Silva has demanded an independent inquiry into the circumstances of each death, with findings made public.
The Velim MLA has further demanded mandatory mental health audits across all higher education institutions in Goa, besides transparent grievance redressal mechanisms and student-led oversight committees.
He has further called for the immediate implementation of preventive reforms to reduce academic stress.
Expressing deep anguish and outrage over the loss of five students at BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus within the past twelve months, Silva has called it “not a tragedy, but a systemic failure.”
“These were young lives full of promise. They came to Goa to learn, to dream and to build their futures. Instead, they left in silence. A place meant for knowledge has become a graveyard of despair,” said Silva.
He said the five students – Om Priyan Singh, Atharv Desai, Krishna Kasera, Kushagra Jain, and Rishi Nair – died in separate incidents between December 2024 and August 2025. “Causes range from suspected suicides to unexplained deaths still under investigation. Families have raised concerns over institutional transparency, mental health support, and the adequacy of campus safety measures”, he said, while demanding an independent inquiry into the circumstances of each death, with findings made public.
