IIT Bombay Faculty Booked for Abetment Following Student Death

Mumbai Police have registered a case for abetment to suicide and caste abuse against an Indian Institute of Technology Bombay faculty member following the death of a second-year B.Tech student in his hostel room. Sahil Ravindra Wakode, a 22-year-old student from Maharashtra's Yavatmal district enrolled in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, was found dead on September 18. The death has triggered widespread protests on the Powai campus, with hundreds of students demanding administrative accountability and an independent inquiry into four student suicides reported at the institution over the past year. Protesters have also called for the resignation of the institute director and dean, alongside greater student representation in academic and disciplinary committees.

The sequence of events leading up to the tragedy began earlier that day when Wakode was caught using a mobile phone during an examination. According to statements from both student groups and institute officials, the student was accused of using ChatGPT via his mobile phone to upload an examination question paper and seek answers. In an official statement, IIT Bombay maintained that no formal disciplinary action was initiated against the student. The administration stated that the matter was discussed directly with Wakode by the course instructor and the head of the department, who counselled him and assured him that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career. Wakode subsequently returned to his hostel room, where he was found dead later that evening.

Student groups have publicly disputed the administration's characterization of the disciplinary fallout, arguing that the institute's statements failed to capture the full pressure placed on the student. Protesters claimed Wakode had been informed that a Disciplinary Action Committee would investigate the incident and that he faced a potential academic suspension of up to one year, which would have required him to vacate his hostel. More than 400 students gathered on campus to press a 10-point list of demands. Beyond an independent judicial-style inquiry into campus suicides and administrative accountability, the protesters demanded mental health sensitization workshops for professors, a mid-semester examination break, an anonymous online grievance portal, and fee refunds alongside financial compensation for Wakode's family.

The legal proceedings escalated when the victim's father filed a formal police complaint, leading the Mumbai Police to book faculty member Suryanarayan Dulla under charges of caste abuse and abetment to suicide. Wakode's mother publicly voiced severe distress outside police headquarters, stating that her son had been harassed. Police officials confirmed that the father's statement named specific individuals whose alleged roles are currently under active investigation. Further inquiries are underway by local authorities to determine the exact sequence of events and motives surrounding the incident as campus demonstrations continue to demand institutional reform. Premier Indian technical institutions, including the IITs, have implemented various mental health support mechanisms, such as dedicated counselling centers and specialized programs like IIT Bombay's Healo Program, to address student well-being.