SC/ST Act Invoked In IIT Bombay Student Death Case After Family Allege 'Casteist Slurs' Hurled By Professor

Mumbai Police have registered a case of abetment to suicide and invoked provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act following the death of IIT Bombay student Sahil Ravindra Wakode.

The action followed a complaint from Wakode’s father, who alleged that his son had faced caste-based harassment from a professor for three months. Wakode was found dead in his hostel room on the Powai campus on Friday evening, India Today reported.

Father Alleges Caste-Based Harassment

In his complaint, Wakode’s father accused Professor Suryanarayana Doolla of the Energy Science department of making “casteist remarks” against his son and threatening to implicate him in a case.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Datta Nalawade said several people, including Doolla, had been named in the complaint and their roles would be investigated.

“Further investigation into the matter is being conducted by the police vis-a-vis the persons named in the FIR,” Nalawade said as quoted by Deccan Herald.

Police had initially registered an accidental death report after no suicide note was found. The case was subsequently expanded to include abetment to suicide and provisions of the SC/ST Act following the family’s complaint.

IIT Bombay Director Shireesh Kedare denied allegations of caste-based discrimination. He said students’ caste information was kept confidential and was not accessible to faculty members or administrators.

The institute’s SC/ST Cell also said it had not received any complaint from Wakode alleging caste discrimination before his death.

Student Got Caught Using ChatGPT

Wakode’s death came hours after he was found using a mobile phone during an examination.

IIT Bombay alleged that he had uploaded the question paper to ChatGPT to obtain answers. Professor Doolla was the invigilator during the examination.

The institute said no disciplinary action had been initiated against Wakode. According to its account, the instructor and the Head of the Department counselled him and assured him that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career.

Wakode later returned to his hostel room. When he did not respond, other students alerted the authorities, following which police were informed.

Students Launch Protest

Wakode’s death triggered protests on campus, with students demanding an independent and transparent investigation.

Protesters alleged that Wakode had been threatened with suspension after being found with the phone. IIT Bombay denied the allegation and reiterated that no disciplinary proceedings had begun.

Students also demanded the resignation of IIT Bombay Director Shireesh Kedare and stronger safeguards against discrimination and administrative pressure.

“The circumstances surrounding the death are being looked into by the appropriate authorities,” IIT Bombay said in a statement.

Nalawade said the institute was in discussions with the protesting students over their administrative concerns.

“The students have internal administrative issues which the IIT administration has addressed in the past as well, and the administration is actively speaking with the students right now too,” he said.

The police said the allegations made by Wakode’s family, the examination incident and the roles of those named in the FIR would be examined during the investigation.