IIT Bombay Student Death: Crime Branch Takes Over Probe
The tragic suicide case of an IIT student in Mumbai has taken a major turn as the investigation has been officially handed over to the Mumbai Police Crime Branch. The decision comes in the wake of mounting pressure from student bodies, civil society, and the grieving family demanding a thorough and impartial inquiry into the circumstances leading to the young student's death.
Sahil Wakode, a second-year student in the Energy Science and Engineering Department at IIT Bombay, was found hanging in his hostel room on September 18. The incident sent shockwaves across the premier campus and triggered widespread protests by the student community, who questioned the administrative handling of the situation.
Allegations Against Faculty Member and Academic Pressure
The case gained serious legal momentum when the deceased student's father leveled grave allegations against a faculty member, Suryanarayan Dulla. According to the complaint, the teacher had been allegedly harassing Sahil for the past three months, making caste-based remarks and threatening to falsely implicate him in disciplinary matters.
Based on these allegations, an FIR has been registered against Professor Suryanarayan Dulla under relevant legal provisions. Furthermore, formal complaints have been lodged against other senior departmental authorities and faculty members, prompting law enforcement agencies to expand the scope of their investigation.
The Exam Incident and Disciplinary Fears
Prior to the tragic incident, Sahil was caught using a mobile phone during an examination on the same day, where he had reportedly uploaded the question paper to ChatGPT to fetch answers. While institute authorities initially maintained that no formal disciplinary action had been taken and that department heads had counseled the student to reassure him, fellow students presented a vastly different narrative.
Protesting students claimed that Sahil was facing the imminent threat of a one-year suspension, which would have forced him to vacate the hostel and significantly delay his graduation. The peer group argued that this extreme academic anxiety and fear of derailment drove the student to take the extreme step.
Conclusion and Next Steps
With the Crime Branch now leading the investigation, police officials are expected to scrutinize digital evidence, institutional records, and statements from both faculty and students. The case has reignited critical conversations surrounding mental health support structures, academic pressure, and equity within India's top-tier technological institutes.
