Special investigation team to investigate alleged suicide of IIT Bombay student

IIT Bombay student suicide: Darshan Solanki, a first-year BTech (Chemical) course student at the IITB, allegedly died by suicide by jumping off the seventh floor of a hostel building on campus on February 12. His family claimed he was discriminated against at the IITB as he belonged to the Scheduled Caste community and suspected foul play in his death.

The Maharashtra government has formed a special investigation team (SIT) led by a senior police officer to investigate the alleged suicide of an 18-year-old student at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, the police official said on Tuesday, February 28. 

Darshan Solanki, from Ahmedabad in Gujarat, a first-year BTech (Chemical) course student at the IITB, allegedly died by suicide by jumping off the seventh floor of a hostel building on campus on February 12. 

His family claimed he was discriminated against at the IITB as he belonged to the Scheduled Caste community and suspected foul play in his death. Gujarat Congress MLA and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani had demanded a probe into Solanki's death by the SIT, terming the episode as 'suspicious.'

The official added that the government ordered an investigation into Solanki's death on February 24. The SIT, led by Joint Commissioner of Police (crime) Lakhmi Gautam, will revisit the case and take statements from Solanki's parents, institute officials, and students who witnessed the incident, he said. 

He added that it would also look into allegations by various student groups that Solanki was subjected to caste discrimination.

Following Solanki's death, the Powai police here filed an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and recorded statements from several people, including IITB students. "The SIT will now investigate the case," the official continued.

On February 16, a Mumbai Police team travelled to Gujarat to record the statements of Solanki's parents.

(With inputs from PTI)