The parents of IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode, who died by suicide on September 18, have sought Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis’s intervention, while students have begun a fresh sit-in on campus after police dismantled a month-old protest site near the institute’s gate.
The students started “Justice Corner 2.0” near the Ambedkar statue inside an institute building on October 19, a day after police cleared the earlier protest site. In a statement, the students said the new sit-in was a response to the demolition of the original site and the administration’s refusal to engage with them. They called for an investigation by an agency outside the institute, changes to the institute’s inquiry committee, the resignation of IIT Bombay director Shireesh Kedare and the suspension of Professor Suryanarayan Doolla.
Wakode, a second-year B.Tech student, was found dead in his hostel room on the evening of September 18. Professor Doolla has been booked for abetment to suicide. Police have also been investigating allegations connected with examination malpractice. According to earlier police claims cited in the report, Wakode had apologised for cheating in an examination and sought another chance.
At a press conference, Wakode’s father said the family was dissatisfied with the police investigation and requested that an officer of Deputy Commissioner of Police rank be appointed to investigate the case. He also sought clarity on a letter connected with the case, including who asked Wakode to write it, the circumstances in which it was signed and whether examination rules permitted it.
The family’s lawyer, Siddharth Ingale, questioned the timing of material related to the case becoming public. He said police recorded Professor Doolla’s statement on October 1, 14 days after Wakode’s death, and that CCTV footage concerning examination malpractice, a confession letter and details of a phone call with a girl circulated after the statement was recorded. Mr. Ingale said allegations of abetment to suicide and remarks about caste by a faculty member also required investigation.
The parents said they had been protesting at Azad Maidan for 16 days and that neither a government representative nor an IIT Bombay official had met them. They also wrote to the Chief Minister and the Joint Commissioner of Police seeking details about Professor Doolla’s reported travel abroad and the rules under which he was allowed to leave the country while the investigation was continuing, according to the lawyer.
The All India Independent Scheduled Castes Association separately condemned the detention and alleged assault of students and activists during the protest at the IIT Bombay gate on October 18. Activist Rahul Sonpimple said the association would seek action from the Maharashtra State Commission for Scheduled Castes and the National Commission for Scheduled Castes. The association also demanded Professor Doolla’s resignation and the removal of the IIT Bombay director.
The protest has placed the institute’s internal inquiry process, police investigation and the handling of caste-related allegations under scrutiny. The students have said they will continue the sit-in and seek an external investigation. The family and supporting organisations are also planning further protests, including rallies in districts across the country.
