Family of Indian-origin US med student who died by suicide seeks legal review

Houston: The family of a 24-year-old Indian-American medical student who died by suicide following an academic disciplinary action in Texas is seeking legal review and systemic policy reforms, alleging institutional failure and a lack of mental health safeguards.

Vaibhav Duggal passed away in July last year while completing his third year at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Centre, El Paso.

His family and advocates allege that an opaque disciplinary process conducted without due process or adequate mental health support caused severe psychological distress, leading to his death.


"This effort seeks accountability, independent review, and reform to ensure no other student is placed in similar circumstances without adequate safeguards or support," the family's advocacy campaign said.

The case has drawn attention to systemic issues in high-stakes professional education, with advocacy groups calling for mandatory due-process protections, trauma-informed disciplinary procedures, and integrated mental health responses across US universities.

The university has previously cited student privacy protections under federal law regarding specific student affairs and institutional procedures.