IIT Bombay Student Death Probe Widens Amid Protests

IIT Bombay Student Death: Probe Widens Amid Campus Protests as the death by suicide of second-year BTech student Sahil Wakode has triggered protests and intensified scrutiny of the institute’s handling of the episode. The Mumbai Police Crime Branch is examining the circumstances surrounding his death, while IIT Bombay has placed Professor Suryanarayana Doolla on leave and constituted an internal 10-member committee. Allegations of caste-based harassment and abetment remain allegations under investigation, not established findings.

Exam Incident Became the Immediate Trigger

Wakode, a student of Energy Science and Engineering, died on September 18, hours after he was allegedly found using a mobile phone during a mid-semester examination. IIT Bombay initially said he had allegedly uploaded the question paper to ChatGPT for answers and that no disciplinary action had yet been initiated.

That statement became a major source of campus anger. Students questioned why details concerning an allegation against a deceased student had been publicly disclosed before an investigation established the facts. IIT Bombay subsequently apologised and acknowledged that issuing such a statement before verification was inappropriate.

CCTV footage is now central to the investigation. Police are examining footage showing Wakode in the examination hall between approximately 12:30 pm and 12:45 pm and his subsequent movement towards his hostel room. Investigators have also searched his room and collected relevant material.

Professor Sent on Leave, Probe Expanded

Professor Doolla, who was reportedly the invigilator during the examination, was initially removed from his administrative position before being sent on leave to facilitate an impartial investigation.

IIT Bombay has also constituted a 10-member committee to examine the circumstances surrounding Wakode’s death. Meanwhile, the Crime Branch is questioning students and others who may have knowledge of the examination incident and events that followed.

The police are examining:

·       CCTV footage from the examination hall and hostel.

·       Statements from students and faculty members.

·       Circumstances surrounding the examination confrontation.

·       Digital evidence and material recovered from Wakode’s room.

·       Any previous complaints or interactions relevant to the allegations.

Caste Allegations Remain Central to Investigation

Wakode’s parents have alleged that their son faced caste-based remarks and harassment before his death. Based on his father’s complaint, police registered a case involving abetment to suicide and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

IIT Bombay has denied caste-discrimination allegations and said Wakode had not lodged a complaint with its administration or SC/ST cell. A faculty representative has also defended Doolla and said examination rules prohibit unauthorised use of electronic devices.

The competing accounts make an independent investigation particularly important.

Beyond One Incident: Questions of Institutional Accountability

The case has widened the debate beyond examination discipline to student welfare, grievance mechanisms, caste-related concerns and institutional communication. Academic rules must be enforced, but investigations must also establish whether the response was proportionate and whether any wider circumstances contributed to the tragedy.

Facts, Accountability and Reform Must Follow

The immediate priority is to establish the sequence of events through evidence rather than assumptions. A credible outcome will require a transparent investigation, protection for witnesses and careful examination of both the examination incident and the allegations raised by the family.

For IIT Bombay, the larger challenge is to ensure that disciplinary systems, student-support mechanisms and grievance channels operate together. The investigation’s findings—not competing claims surrounding the case—will ultimately determine where accountability lies and what institutional reforms are necessary.

(With agency inputs)