IIT Bombay Apologises Over Student's Death, Professor Removed as Dean

IIT Bombay has apologised for its earlier statements about the circumstances surrounding the death of Sahil Ravindra Wakode, a second-year BTech student found dead in his hostel room on campus on Friday last.

In a post on X, the institute said it regretted setting out details of the events preceding his death before they had been established through the proper investigative process. It added that the circumstances leading up to the incident remain subject to investigation by the appropriate authorities.

The apology followed a meeting between institute officials and protesting students, who have placed 18 demands before the administration. Sources said two of those demands have been met, and the director is expected to address the press later in the day.

The institute also rejected reports that Director Shirish Kedar had resigned, calling the news false. On Sunday night, Kedar had told protesting students that he would step down, saying he would follow the process and convey his decision after a meeting on Monday. He subsequently signed a sheet listing the students' demands.

Wakode was found dead hours after he was allegedly caught using a mobile phone and ChatGPT during a mid-semester examination. Protesters and the student's family have alleged that institutional harassment and caste-based discrimination drove him to suicide. His parents have filed a case under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

The IIT Bombay Faculty Forum has come out in support of Suryanarayana Doolla, the exam invigilator who has since been removed as dean of students' welfare. The forum said Doolla was following the institute's prescribed procedure after the student was found in unauthorised possession and use of a smartphone during the examination, and that he had only carried out his academic responsibilities. It expressed concern over statements against him, saying they had affected him deeply.

The Mumbai Crime Branch has taken over the investigation. With no note found in the hostel room, investigators are examining the student's mobile phone for digital evidence. Police are likely to issue summons to those named in the first information report, including Doolla, for questioning.

Among the students' pending demands are student representation in academic committees, an independent inquiry into four earlier deaths by suicide on campus, and mental health workshops for professors.