Full Breakdown
IIT Bombay Student Suicide Sparks Protests and Calls for an Independent Probe
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On September 18, 2026, second-year BTech student Sahil Wakode was found hanging in his hostel room at IIT Bombay. Police records show he was removed from a mid-semester exam after being caught using a mobile phone; CCTV shows him returning to his room around 1:25 pm. The Mumbai Crime Branch has registered an abetment-to-suicide case against Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, named in the FIR following a complaint by Wakode’s parents alleging caste-based harassment. Investigators are reviewing CCTV, phone records and four devices seized from the student.
Background & Context
Allegations of caste discrimination and student suicides have surfaced at IIT Bombay before, notably the deaths of Aniket Ambhore (2014) and Darshan Solanki (2023). Activists cite these cases as part of a pattern of marginalised students facing hostile environments at premier technical institutions.
Timeline
- Sept 18, 2026 – Wakode’s death; abetment investigation begins.
- Sept 20-21 – Faculty Forum issues statements supporting Professor Doolla.
- Sept 21 – Open-house event; student rallies diminish.
- Sept 28-30 – Parents begin a hunger strike at Azad Maidan, police record 40 witness statements.
- Oct 2 – Eight students launch a campus hunger strike with an 18-point charter of demands.
Data & Statistics
- 40 statements recorded by the Crime Branch.
- Student charter lists 18 demands, including resignation of Director Shireesh Kedare and suspension of Professor Doolla.
- Eight students initiated the October 2 hunger strike; earlier protests involved hundreds of participants.
- Six faculty later withdrew support for the Forum’s statements, citing due-process concerns.
Official Statements & Responses
The Crime Branch is leading the probe, sending Doolla’s devices to the Forensic Science Laboratory in Kalina. IIT Bombay has formed a 10-member internal committee and apologized for an earlier claim that the student was caught cheating before the investigation concluded. The institute’s 2015 academic-malpractice policy mandates confiscation of prohibited material and referral to a disciplinary committee; it does not require an “apology letter.” Faculty Forum chief Prof Rajkumar Pant defended Doolla, arguing that vilifying a professor for performing his duties threatens the teaching community. Six faculty members later sent a letter stating the Forum’s statements were not representative of all staff.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Apology letter: Sources claim Wakode signed one after being escorted out of the exam hall, but the institute’s manual makes no provision for such a letter.
- CCTV footage: A 52-second clip was broadcast, while activists allege the full two-hour recording has not been released.
- Investigation transparency: The family’s lawyer says members of the internal committee publicly supported Doolla, prompting calls for an external panel.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The student indulged in malpractice during the exam. Prof Doolla reported the matter to the head of the department. If a professor is being vilified just for discharging his duties, then it is a problem for the entire teaching community in the country,” — Prof Rajkumar Pant
- “I want justice for Sahil. That’s the only demand I am making as Sahil’s mother. I want nothing else,” — Sonali Wakode
The case remains under active investigation, with the Crime Branch continuing to record statements and analyze digital evidence. Protesters maintain that an independent, transparent inquiry is essential to address alleged caste discrimination and restore confidence in IIT Bombay’s grievance mechanisms.