Mumbai: An IIT-Bombay professor has been named as an accused in an abetment of suicide case following the death of second-year student Sahil Wakode on campus, with police also invoking provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act after his parents alleged caste-based harassment.
Powai police registered the FIR on Saturday following a complaint by Wakode’s parents. Prof Suryanarayana Doolla of the Energy Science department, who was the invigilator during an examination in which Wakode was allegedly found using a mobile phone, has been named in the case along with references to other senior and concerned officials.
The investigation was transferred to the Mumbai Police Crime Branch late on Saturday. An ACP-rank officer has been assigned to conduct the probe. Wakode’s death is the third reported suicide on the IIT-Bombay campus this year, according to police and media reports.
Student found dead after examination
Wakode, 20, was a second-year student in the Energy Science section. On Friday, he was allegedly found using a mobile phone during an examination held between 2 pm and 4 pm.
According to the institute’s account, Wakode had allegedly uploaded the examination question paper on an AI platform to seek answers. He was subsequently found dead in his hostel room.
Doolla was the invigilator during the examination. He had also served as IIT-Bombay’s Dean of Student Affairs in the recent past.
The circumstances surrounding Wakode’s death, including whether the examination incident had any connection to it, are now part of the police investigation.
Parents allege caste-based harassment
In his statement forming part of the FIR, Wakode’s father Ravindra alleged that his son had told the family about harassment by Doolla for around three months after entering his second year.
The family has alleged that caste-based remarks and pressure contributed to Wakode’s death. Based on the complaint, police invoked provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act along with the abetment of suicide provisions under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
However, the family had not previously filed a formal complaint with IIT-Bombay over the alleged harassment. The institute’s SC/ST cell said in an email to students that it had not received any complaint from Wakode alleging caste-based discrimination.
The allegations remain subject to investigation and have not been established by police.
IIT-Bombay denies caste discrimination
IIT-Bombay Director Prof Shireesh Kedare denied allegations of caste-based discrimination at the institute.
Kedare said caste-based information about students is kept confidential and is not available to faculty or administrators for general use. The institute has also rejected allegations that Wakode was threatened with suspension after being found with the phone.
According to IIT-Bombay, no disciplinary action had been initiated against Wakode. The institute said the matter was discussed with him by the instructor and head of department, who counselled him and assured him that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career.
Students and the family, however, have alleged that Wakode was taken out of the examination hall and threatened with suspension. These accounts differ from the institute’s version and are among the issues being examined.
Conflicting accounts over exam incident
The circumstances immediately following Wakode being found with a phone have become a central point of disagreement.
Students and family members have alleged that he was removed from the examination hall and faced the possibility of suspension. IIT-Bombay has maintained that no disciplinary proceedings were initiated and that he was counselled after the incident.
Under IIT-Bombay’s examination rules, students found carrying or using gadgets during an examination can face suspension for a semester. However, the institute has specifically stated that no such disciplinary action was initiated against Wakode in this case.
The institute postponed the mid-semester examinations scheduled for Saturday as protests continued on campus.
Parents refused to claim body
Wakode’s parents, Ravindra and Sonali, refused to claim their son’s body from the post-mortem centre at Rajawadi Hospital for more than seven hours on Saturday.
Ravindra said he would not conduct the final rites until those named in the complaint were arrested. Wakode was the couple’s only child.
The parents eventually claimed the body after police assured them that the investigation would be transferred to the Crime Branch. Senior police officers had reached the hospital during the standoff and tried to persuade the family to take possession of the body.
The family has also sought a thorough investigation into the allegations and demanded action against those they hold responsible for Wakode’s death.
Family says he showed no signs of distress
Wakode’s parents said they had spoken to their son on Thursday night, a day before his death, and did not notice anything unusual.
His mother Sonali said the conversation lasted around half an hour and that he appeared to be preparing for his examination. She said he did not appear stressed during the conversation.
His father later tried calling him at around 5 pm on Friday, after assuming that the examination would have ended. The call went unanswered. The family was informed of Wakode’s death around 8 pm, first by the institute and subsequently by Powai police.
The family has said the suddenness of the death made the circumstances surrounding the examination incident particularly concerning.
Crime Branch takes over investigation
The transfer of the case to the Crime Branch followed the family’s demand for a separate investigation. Police have registered the abetment case under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and invoked provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act based on the allegations in the complaint.
The FIR names Prof Doolla and refers to other senior and concerned officials. The registration of an FIR means the allegations are being investigated; it does not by itself establish criminal liability.
IIT-Bombay has said it will cooperate fully with the authorities and urged people to respect the family’s privacy. The institute has also asked that speculation be avoided while the investigation is underway.
The probe will now examine the events surrounding the examination, the allegations of caste-based harassment, the interactions between Wakode and institute officials, and the circumstances preceding his death.