Full Breakdown
Student Death Triggers Month-Long Protests and Police Detentions at IIT Bombay
By Drooid · · How we work
Background & Context
On September 18, 2026, second-year B.Tech student Sahil Wakode of the Energy Science and Engineering department was found dead in his hostel room at IIT-Bombay. Classmates allege he was caught using a mobile phone to access ChatGPT during a mid-semester exam and was threatened with disciplinary action. Wakode’s family and activist groups—including the All India Independent Scheduled Castes Association (AIISCA) and the All India Students’ Federation (AISF)—accuse the institute of caste-based harassment and of failing to protect the student.
Timeline
- September 18, 2026 – Sahil Wakode’s death is reported.
- October 14, 2026 – A protest outside IIT-Bombay leads to several detentions.
- October 16, 2026 – AIISCA, AISF and other groups demonstrate at Azad Maidan, demanding the arrest of Professor Suryanarayana Doolla and Director Shireesh B. Kedare.
- October 18, 2026 – The Wakode family arrives on campus; police detain the parents and students, later demolishing the “Justice Corner” protest site.
Data & Statistics
- The FIR lodged at Powai police station lists offences under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (non-bailable, up to 10 years) and Sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
- Police statements indicated 10 students were detained and released; later actions saw 16 more taken into custody, with some reports citing 22 detained students.
- The protest site, set up for a month, was cleared on October 18, 2026.
Official Statements & Responses
The Crime Branch-CID, now handling the case, has not provided a detailed public update on arrests. IIT-Bombay’s administration has not commented on the October 18 detentions. Police officials asserted that the operation was conducted to maintain law and order, stating that “adequate security was deployed” and that no breach of peace occurred.
Verbatim Quotes
- “My only request is that they arrest those responsible as soon as possible and give my Sahil justice,” — Ravindra Wakode
- “Caste is not something that can be hidden simply by not asking someone’s name or marks. People can identify caste through surnames, language, social backgrounds and several other factors. It is naive to suggest that discrimination will disappear if such questions are avoided,” — Arya Wankhede
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The protests continue as the Wakode family maintains a hunger strike, and student groups persist in demanding the arrest of Professor Doolla, a senior investigation by the Crime Branch-CID, and stronger enforcement of the SC/ST Act on campus.