Sahil Wakode’s parents began a hunger strike at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan, seeking action over allegations that their son faced caste-based discrimination and harassment.
IIT Bombay reissued an apology over its earlier communication about the circumstances preceding Sahil’s death, saying those details remain under investigation.
The institute has postponed mid-semester exams scheduled for September 26-27 to October 10-11 as protests continue over the student’s death.
IIT Bombay Student Sahil Wakode’s Parents Begin Hunger Strike, Seek Action Against ‘Tormentors’
Sahil’s father, Ravindra Wakode, said his son had repeatedly told the family that he faced caste-based discrimination at the institute
Summary
The parents of IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode, whose death has triggered protests on the campus, began a hunger strike at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan on Thursday, September 24, seeking action against those they allege subjected their son to caste discrimination and harassment.
Sahil’s father, Ravindra Wakode, said his son had repeatedly told the family that he faced caste-based discrimination at the institute. “Those who tortured my son should be put behind bars,” he said. Ravindra and his wife Sonali also met the chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes in Mumbai and submitted a memorandum seeking a speedy investigation into their son’s death.
Meanwhile, IIT Bombay has postponed its mid-semester examinations scheduled for September 26-27 to October 10-11, an institute official said.
IIT Bombay Reissues Apology Over Earlier Statement
The institute also reissued an apology over an earlier communication that had linked Sahil’s death to an alleged incident of exam malpractice involving ChatGPT.
In a post on X, IIT Bombay said it was apologising for statements in its earlier communication concerning the circumstances surrounding Sahil’s death. The institute said the details remained under investigation and that it had been inappropriate to characterise events preceding his death before they were established through the appropriate investigative process.
Sahil, a second-year BTech student, was found dead in his hostel room on the evening of September 18. The earlier IIT Bombay communication had said he was allegedly found using ChatGPT during an examination hours before his death. The institute has now said that the circumstances leading up to the incident remain subject to investigation.
Rahul Gandhi Speaks To Family As Protests Continue
The developments came as political leaders and student groups continued to demand accountability over Sahil’s death. Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad was detained on Thursday while party workers and NSUI activists gathered outside IIT Bombay in support of the student’s family.
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Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib demanded the arrest of the IIT Bombay director and another professor. Gaikwad called for a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding Sahil’s death and alleged that students, particularly those belonging to certain caste or religious groups, face difficulties and humiliation at educational institutions.
Gaikwad described Sahil’s death as an “institutional murder” and alleged that the BJP and RSS had damaged the education system. She also accused the RSS of “infiltrating” higher education institutions. These were political allegations made during the protest and have not been established as facts.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also spoke to Sahil’s parents, according to the party.
The family’s hunger strike comes amid an ongoing investigation into the circumstances of Sahil’s death, with competing claims over the events preceding it. IIT Bombay has said those circumstances must be established through the appropriate investigative process.
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