The dean of student affairs at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) in Kolkata has resigned after his wife, a faculty member, was accused of abetting the suicide of a 26-year-old doctoral researcher, officials and students said on Sunday.

Research scholar Anamitra Roy, who was on the autism spectrum, died on Aug. 2, a day after attempting suicide inside a laboratory on the IISER campus in Kalyani, West Bengal. In a note recovered later, Roy alleged repeated harassment by fellow researcher Saurav Biswas and accused his supervisor, Anindita Bhadra, of ignoring his complaints. Bhadra’s husband, Ayan Banerjee, headed the institute’s anti-ragging committee in addition to serving as dean of student affairs – raising what students said was a conflict of interest. Student groups had demanded his removal from the post. IISER has now dissolved the anti-ragging panel and plans to reconstitute it, according to sources. “I also want an impartial probe,” Banerjee told reporters, adding he had stepped down “in the interest of fairness.”

Roy’s note claimed his complaints to both his supervisor and the anti-ragging cell were not taken seriously. He expressed anguish over seeing those who mistreated him socialising normally with others, and said his request for an apology was ignored.

Police in Nadia district have launched an investigation based on a complaint filed by Roy’s relatives, though no arrests have been made. IISER has set up an internal fact-finding panel in parallel.