20 statements recorded in IIT Bombay student suicide probe; phone remains locked

Police have recorded 20 statements and are trying to unlock IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode's phone after his death. The case has intensified amid caste discrimination allegations, political attention and demands for accountability.

In Short

• Forensic experts are trying to unlock Wakode's pattern-secured mobile phone
• Students, invigilators and administrators are among 20 people questioned by police
• Faculty member Suryanarayan Doolla was sent on leave during the probe

Police have recorded the statements of 20 people and are trying to access the locked mobile phone of IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode, whose suicide is under investigation. The case has also drawn attention after Wakode's parents alleged caste discrimination against their son and sought action against those they hold responsible.

Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale on Friday visited IIT Bombay and called for a thorough investigation into Wakode's death. On the same day, Wakode's parents went to the Mumbai Police Crime Branch office to meet senior officials, a day after staging a hunger strike at Azad Maidan.

According to the preliminary investigation, Wakode, 22, a student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, went straight to his hostel room after leaving the examination hall on September 18. The institute had initially said he had been caught using ChatGPT on his mobile phone during the examination. When he did not come out of his room by around 7 pm, the door was opened and he was found dead inside.

Police said those questioned so far include students who were in the examination hall, along with invigilators and administrative officials. A police official said Wakode's mobile phone was secured with a pattern lock, preventing access, though several missed call notifications were visible on the screen. Forensic experts are trying to access the device, the official said.

IIT Bombay faculty member Suryanarayan Doolla, who has been named in the FIR alleging abetment to suicide on grounds of caste discrimination, has been sent on leave to facilitate an impartial probe. The institute has also apologised twice for its earlier communication that said Wakode died by suicide hours after allegedly being caught using ChatGPT during an examination.

Wakode's parents, Ravindra and Sonali Wakode, began a hunger strike at Azad Maidan on Thursday, alleging that their son repeatedly faced caste discrimination at the institute and demanding action against his "tormentors". They later left the ground at night. On Friday, Athawale, a prominent Dalit leader from Maharashtra, met the institute's director and senior officials and also visited Wakode's hostel room, officials said.

"Any student who gets admission to the IIT is very clever and highly capable. Sahil's death should be thoroughly investigated and action should be taken against those responsible," Athawale said. "The way he died by suicide suggests there could be some major reason behind it. Someone may have insulted him and forced him to take the extreme step," he said, adding that he would also discuss the matter with Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi.

Some television channels have aired CCTV footage from the examination hall showing Wakode's movements before a professor approached him and led him away from the hall. Police said the footage was being used to reconstruct the sequence of events. As the investigation continues, police are examining witness statements, electronic evidence and the events leading up to Wakode's death.

- Ends
With PTI inputs