Parents of IIT-B student who died by suicide hold hunger strike, demand action

The parents of IIT-Bombay student Sahil Wakode began a hunger strike in Mumbai, demanding action against those they accuse of tormenting him amid allegations of caste discrimination.

In Short

• Mumbai Crime Branch probing abetment, caste discrimination allegations
• Faculty member named in the FIR has been sent on leave
• Rahul Gandhi spoke to the family and promised support in their fight

The parents of IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode, who have been seeking action against those they allege were responsible for their son’s death, staged a protest at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan on Thursday after meeting the chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes.

Sahil’s parents, Ravindra and Sonali Wakode, met the National Commission for Scheduled Castes chairman and submitted a memorandum seeking a speedy investigation into the matter. They later went to Azad Maidan and sat on protest until 7 pm, as permitted by the authorities.

The parents subsequently left Azad Maidan in accordance with the rules. They are expected to decide later whether they will stage another protest at the venue on Friday.

"Those who tortured my son should be put behind bars. He had told us that he repeatedly faced caste discrimination at the institute," Ravindra said.

The 22-year-old second-year BTech student was found hanging in his hostel room on the evening of September 18. The Mumbai Police Crime Branch is investigating the case.

Amid the controversy, IIT Bombay postponed its mid-semester examinations scheduled for September 26-27 to October 10-11.

The institute also issued a fresh apology over an earlier statement that had linked Sahil’s death to an alleged incident involving ChatGPT during an examination.

In a post on X, IIT Bombay said the circumstances leading to Sahil’s death “remain subject to investigation by the appropriate authorities”. The institute said it was inappropriate to have characterised details about the events preceding his death before they had been established through an investigation.

Faculty member Suryanarayan Doolla, who has been named in an FIR alleging abetment to suicide on grounds of caste discrimination, has been sent on leave to facilitate an impartial investigation.

The case has also triggered political protests. Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad and party workers, along with NSUI activists, gathered outside IIT Bombay on Thursday to express solidarity with Sahil’s family. Police detained several protesters, including Gaikwad.

Gaikwad described Sahil’s death as an “institutional murder” and demanded a comprehensive probe.

“This is not the first such incident at IIT. We want accountability,” she said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also spoke to Sahil’s parents and assured them of support in their fight for justice, party sources said. Gaikwad said Gandhi made a video call to the family while they were travelling to Mumbai from Washim district.

According to Gaikwad, Gandhi told the family that he was with them and assured them of all possible help.

The controversy has also brought an earlier email attributed to Doolla into focus. The email, reportedly sent in 2024 when he was Dean of Student Affairs, cautioned students against asking classmates about their admission categories, JEE (Advanced) ranks or GATE scores, saying such questions could reveal their caste or reserved-category status.

Some television channels have also aired CCTV footage from the examination hall showing Sahil’s movements before a professor approached him and took him away from the hall after he was allegedly caught copying. Police have not publicly commented on the footage.

- Ends
With PTI inputs