IIT Bombay student suicide: Parents allege casteist slurs, seek arrests

Parents of Sahil Wakode, the IIT Bombay student who died by suicide, alleged he faced casteist slurs and mental torture at the institute. They visited the Mumbai Crime Branch and demanded the arrest of two named faculty members.

Parents Allege Caste-Based Torture, Demand Arrests

The parents of Sahil Ravindra Wakode, the IIT Bombay student who died by suicide on September 18, visited the Mumbai Crime Branch in Bandra on Tuesday, demanding immediate arrests and alleging that their son faced casteist slurs and severe mental torture at the elite institute. Breathing heavy with grief outside the Crime Branch office, Sahil's father, Ravindra Wakode, urged authorities to arrest two named faculty members, Professor Suryanarayana Doolla and Shireesh Kedare, while expressing deep regret for advising his son to endure the hostility on campus.

"I came to the Crime Branch today. My request to everyone is to complete the investigation as soon as possible and arrest those who are involved, namely Shireesh Kedare and Suryanarayana Doolla. He was a smart student. Cracking the IIT Advanced exam is not a trivial matter. You can look at his All India rank. They will accuse him of anything wrong; they will say that he cheated. My request is to arrest them. He was suffering. I explained to him that my son should tolerate IIT a little, and after this, his whole life would be good. I made a mistake by telling him this," said Ravindra Wakode, father of Sahil Wakode.

According to Sahil's mother, Sonali Wakode, the victim had opened up about the harassment he was experiencing just days before his death. She questioned why students from marginalized backgrounds disproportionately face such extreme distress in top educational institutions. "I have lost my child. I know the pain I am going through. Please give justice to my son. Please ensure justice for the atrocities committed against him. Why is it that Dalit students are the ones committing suicide? We supported him mentally, telling him, 'Your future is bright, son; just endure this'—that was our mistake. If we had taken him away that day, my child would be alive today... When we went to visit him on the 13th, inside his room, he told me, 'Papa, I am being tortured a bit; they are hurling casteist slurs at me.' We offered him moral support. That was a mistake on our part," said Sonali Wakode, mother of Sahil Wakode.

Investigation Underway Amidst Faculty Support for Professor

Despite her pain, Sonali expressed confidence in the ongoing probe: "I trust the Crime Branch. I have full faith in the administration and in the Constitution. My child will get justice."

Meanwhile, investigating officers are reviewing extensive CCTV footage covering the examination hall, hostel area, and campus premises. Officials confirmed that footage between 12:30 PM and 12:45 PM on September 18 shows Sahil bending down toward his pocket shortly before the exam concluded.

The IIT Bombay Faculty Forum staged a campus march in support of Professor Doolla. The forum asserted that Doolla was simply fulfilling his duty as an invigilator when he reported an incidence of "academic malpractice" involving unauthorized smartphone usage in line with Senate-approved guidelines.

The Mumbai Police Crime Branch investigation remains active. (ANI)

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