An FIR has been registered after the death of Sahil Wakode, a second-year BTech student at IIT Bombay, with his family alleging caste-based discrimination by a faculty member and the institute denying that any such complaint had been made. Mumbai Police registered the case on Saturday based on a complaint filed by Wakode’s father, Ravindra, naming Prof Suryanarayan Doolla and unnamed others under charges including abetment to suicide and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Wakode, from Yavatmal, was enrolled in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering and was appearing for mid-semester examinations on Friday. He had completed one examination and was taking the second when Prof Doolla, who was the invigilator, allegedly found him with a mobile phone inside the examination hall. IIT Bombay has described the incident as an alleged attempt to cheat.
According to the account given by Wakode’s parents, the student was taken outside the examination hall after the mobile phone was allegedly found. He then returned to his room in Hostel 4, where he later died by suicide. His father told police that he had received a call from the institute at around 8 pm, after trying to contact his son at about 5.30 pm.
In the police complaint, Ravindra alleged that Wakode had told him that Prof Doolla had subjected him to caste-related slurs over a period of three months, allegedly acting on the instructions of IIT Bombay Director Shirish B Kedare. The complaint further alleges that Wakode had been told he could be harassed or implicated in a false case because of his caste. These allegations have not been established and are part of the police investigation.
Wakode’s parents said they had not observed signs of academic distress. His mother, Sonali, said he had not complained of academic pressure, had no backlogs from his first year and had appeared to be enjoying campus life. The family said he had been active in badminton and skating, served as convener of the institute’s badminton club and had plans to prepare for the Civil Services after completing his engineering degree.
The family had visited him on campus earlier in the week, and Sonali said their regular phone conversation on Thursday had not indicated that anything was wrong. His father also questioned the allegation that Wakode had attempted to cheat, citing his son’s academic record.
IIT Bombay has denied the allegations of caste-based discrimination and said Wakode had not submitted a complaint to its SC-ST cell or administration. In a statement issued on Saturday, the institute said the police had registered a case, that it would cooperate fully with the authorities and that people should respect the family’s privacy and refrain from speculation while the investigation continues.
The FIR places the institute’s handling of the examination incident, its internal grievance mechanisms and the allegations made by the family under police scrutiny. The investigation will determine the circumstances surrounding Wakode’s death and examine the allegations against the named faculty member and others.
