Dalit Student's Alleged Suicide At IIT Mumbai Raises Questions Over Safe Spaces For Dalit Students

The death of a Dalit student at IIT Bombay has sparked outrage around the need for a more inclusive and safe space for marginalised students on campus.

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on: 15 February 2023 10:35 am

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An 18-year-old Dalit student allegedly died by suicide after he told his family members that he was facing discrimination in college for his caste. The police has registered a case of accidental death after he apparently jumped of the seventh floor.

According to a report by NDTV, Darshan Solanki's family told reporters that last month, when he had gone home, he informed them of the discrimination he was facing from his friends as he belonged to the scheduled caste. He alleged that the behaviour of his friends changed after they found out his caste and were 'jealous' as he was pursuing his education free of cost.

"He was in distress, he was being tortured. That's why he did this," his mother Tarlikaben Solanki told NDTV.

The death has sparked discussions and outrage around the need for a more inclusive and safe space for marginalised students on campus. The Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle (APPSC), IIT Bombay alleged that the incident is a case of "institutional murder", reports the New Indian Express.

The APPSC said that they have been demanding a Dalit, caste-sensitive counsellor in the institution but it has failed to include one.

How many more Darshans and Anikets need to die? Our statement on the institutional murder of Darshan Solanki. We owe a collective responsibility towards the family of the deceased. As a society, as an institution, what do we celebrate and what do we marginalize? pic.twitter.com/K5lCD2mRl4
— APPSC IIT Bombay (@AppscIITb) February 13, 2023

The Director of IIT Bombay expressed his sorrow and regret through a mail sent out to students and faculty, stating, "We regret to inform the loss of a first-year student in a tragic incident this afternoon. Powai police are investigating the case. The parents of the student have been informed and they are on their way. We deeply mourn the death of the student and pray that the family gets the strength to bear this loss. May his soul rest in peace."

However, IIT Bombay has refuted charges that Darshan Solanki faced systemic discrimination and said his death is being probed.

"IIT Bombay strongly refutes claims in some news articles about the tragic death of a 1st year BTech student, that imply that the cause was discrimination, and say it amounted to 'institutional murder'," the educational institute said in a statement Tuesday.

No note has been found and the investigation is underway.