Jadavpur University professor from West Bengal found dead in Uttarakhand hotel room

A professor from Kolkata’s Jadavpur University was found dead at an Uttarakhand hotel under mysterious circumstances on Saturday, November 9. He had travelled to Uttarakhand with two friends on a trip and were set to return from the place on the day of his death. 

He was allegedly found in a pool of blood with injuries on his neck and wrist. The deceased Mainak Pal was a 44-year-old professor of the philosophy department at Jadavpur University. He had gone on a trip to Uttarakhand with his friends. 

Preliminary reports suggest that it was a case of death by suicide, but final reports remain awaited. The process of bringing his body back to his hometown has begun. 

According to sources he was at a hotel in Lalkuan and he was supposed to return to Kolkata two days back on the Bagh Express, but he did not board the train. His family failed to contact him and got in touch with the hotel and tried to trace his whereabouts. Hotel authorities went to his room and broke in and found his body. 

Jadavpur University Teachers Association general secretary Professor Parthapratim Ray told The Hindu, “We are very shocked. He used to be a very softspoken person, a man of few words. Was a brilliant scholar too. We are not able to match this incident with his personality but maybe he had depression internally and never spoke about it with anyone.”  The deceased professor is survived by his wife and one daughter. 

A philosophy department student from Jadavpur University who has been taught by the deceased Mr Pal said, “He was very approachable, very well accepted among the students and a great scholar who was loved by many. Everybody is in shock.”  Pal completed his graduation from Presidency University in Kolkata and then went on to get his master’s, MPhil, and PhD from Jadavpur University where he later joined as a professor in 2022.