The tragic death of Sahil Ravindra Wakode, a second-year BTech student in the Energy Science and Engineering department at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, has taken a serious legal turn. Police have registered an FIR against Professor Suryanarayana Dalla following a complaint filed by the victim's father, who alleged that his son was subjected to relentless mental harassment and caste-based abuse for over three months.
Father's Allegations and Police Investigation
The grieving father also named IIT Bombay Director Shirish B. Kedare, along with certain faculty members and senior administrative officials, in his formal complaint. The family claims that a systemic culture of discrimination and pressure within the institute pushed Sahil to the brink. Consequently, the Mumbai Police Crime Branch has taken over the investigation, probing charges under abetment to suicide and relevant sections of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Sahil, 22, was found dead in his hostel room on the evening of September 18. No suicide note was recovered initially. This incident marks the third student suicide at IIT Bombay within a span of seven months, intensifying concerns regarding student welfare in premier institutions.
Institute's Stance on Academic Malpractice
In its official response, IIT Bombay stated that Sahil had been caught using a mobile phone during an examination shortly before his death. The administration alleged that he attempted to upload the question paper to ChatGPT to fetch answers. However, the institute clarified that no formal disciplinary action had been initiated against him. Instructors and department heads reportedly counselled him, assuring him that the incident would not impact his academic career, before he returned to his hostel room.
Student Protests and Rising Mental Health Concerns
Outraged by the tragedy, over 400 students staged massive protests against the administration, forcing the suspension of upcoming mid-semester examinations. The incident has reignited nationwide debates on the extreme academic stress faced by students in elite technological institutes. Alumni reports indicate that 160 IIT students have died by suicide over the past 20 years, with 43% of those cases occurring in the last five years alone, highlighting an urgent need for robust psychological support systems.
