IIT Bombay sends professor on leave as Crime Branch probes Sahil Wakode death

Mumbai: IIT Bombay removed an apology concerning the death of student Sahil Wakode from its official X account on Thursday, then reposted the message within minutes after the deletion drew criticism.Sharing the earlier post of 21st Sept 2026 again :We apologise for the statements contained in our earlier communication concerning the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate demise of Sahil.The details and circumstances leading up to the incident remain subject to…— IIT Bombay (@iitbombay) September 24, 2026 The apology, first posted on September 21, addressed the institute’s earlier communication about the circumstances preceding Wakode’s death. IIT Bombay had acknowledged that it was inappropriate to characterise those circumstances while they remained under investigation. It has not publicly explained why the apology was briefly removed.Wakode’s death has prompted protests and demands for a fair investigation. His family has alleged harassment and caste discrimination by members of the institute. Those allegations remain under investigation.IIT Bombay Anti-Discrimination Guidelines Resurface Online After Email Circulation, Institute Yet To Confirm Details Questions have also been raised over examination hall CCTV footage involving Wakode and Professor Suryanarayana Doolla. The footage and the events preceding Wakode’s death are matters for investigators to establish; they do not, by themselves, settle the allegations made by either side.The brief removal of the apology has added to scrutiny of how IIT Bombay has communicated with students and the public during the investigation.To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/ 

Ravindra Wakode was detained by Mumbai Police in Bhandup while on his way to protest his son's death. His son, Sahil Wakode, a second-year student, died by suicide on September 18. The investigation into Sahil's death involves CCTV footage and allegations of caste-based harassment against Professor Suryanarayan Doolla. IIT-Bombay has formed a committee to examine the surrounding circumstances of his suicide.

Mumbai: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi spoke to parents of deceased IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode and assured them all help in their fight to seek justice for their son, party sources said on Thursday.Gandhi made a video call to Ravindra and Sonali Wakode when they were on their way to Mumbai from Washim district, the sources told PTI.Also Watch: In the almost 17-minute call, Gandhi assured Sahil’s parents that he was with them and assured them all help, the sources said.Indian Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib and its Maharashtra unit chief Shivraj More were with Sahil’s parents when the call took place.The parents have announced that they will be going on an indefinite hunger strike in front of IIT Bombay gate from 11 am on Thursday.IIT Bombay Student Sahil Wakhode Suicide Probe Hinges On iPhone Access As Crime Branch Examines Exam-Day Events The Mumbai Police Crime Branch is already conducting a probe into the death of Sahil, who was found hanging in his hostel room on the evening of September 18, hours after being caught while allegedly using a mobile phone to access ChatGPT during a mid-semester examination.Faculty member Suryanarayan Doolla, named in the FIR, which alleges abetment to suicide on grounds of caste discrimination, has been sent on leave to facilitate an impartial probe into the case.Some TV channels on Wednesday aired CCTV footage from the examination hall that captured Sahil's movements before a professor approaches him and leads him away from the hall after he was allegedly caught copying.(Except for the headline, this article has not been edited by FPJ's editorial team and is auto-generated from an agency feed.)

Mumbai: The Mumbai Crime Branch is facing a major challenge in its investigation into the alleged suicide of 22-year-old IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakhode, as his iPhone has not yet been unlocked.Investigators Probe Events Before Student’s DeathThe Crime Branch is investigating what exactly happened on September 18, the day Wakhode died by suicide. It had been alleged that Wakhode used his mobile phone during a mid-semester examination and that the matter was noticed by a professor. A theory had subsequently emerged that Wakhode returned to his room and died by suicide after allegedly being caught copying during the examination.However, investigators are yet to access the data stored on his iPhone. The Crime Branch is taking technical assistance to try to unlock the device, as several key details in the case could emerge only after its contents are examined.Statements Of More Students Being RecordedClarity is also expected on allegations involving ChatGPT once investigators gain access to the phone and examine the relevant data and communications.The Crime Branch is also recording statements of additional students in connection with the case.Meanwhile, the statements of Wakhode’s parents were recorded by the police on Tuesday. His family has alleged that they were taken by the police without being informed that they would be taken to Yavatmal. The family is also reportedly considering returning to Mumbai and staging a hunger strike.CCTV Footage From Examination Hall SurfacesCCTV Footage From Examination Hall Surfaces : A CCTV clip purportedly from the IIT Bombay examination hall on September 18 has also surfaced. The footage is claimed to have been recorded around 20 minutes before the examination ended.BMC Seeks IIT-Roorkee Review For New Malabar Hill Reservoir Plan After Tree Loss Reduced By 307In the clip, Wakhode, wearing a black T-shirt, is seen seated on the first bench and appearing to write his examination. A teacher is seen approaching him and stopping near his bench before appearing to question him.Wakhode is then seen getting up from the bench and subsequently sitting down again. The interaction between the student and the teacher continues for some time.The authenticity and context of the CCTV footage are being examined as part of the ongoing investigation. The footage may help investigators establish the sequence of events inside the examination hall before Wakhode left the premises.To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/

Mumbai: Students at IIT Bombay continued to demand a fair investigation into the death of second-year student Sahil Wakode, even as a committee set up by the institute is expected to submit its report within a week. A handful of students maintained a sit-in on campus on Wednesday and said they would monitor the institute’s response to their 18-point charter of demands.“We demand that Prof Doolla should be stripped of his professorship. Until then, we will continue to protest,” said a student. Professor Suryanarayana Doolla has been relieved of his administrative post as Dean of Administrative Affairs and sent on a week-long leave. Students have continued to seek action against him.Panel Headed By IIT Palakkad Board ChairmanThe committee is headed by Professor Ramesh Venkateswaran, chairman of the Board of Governors at IIT Palakkad. Its members include IIT Bombay faculty, students, an administrator, a former vigilance officer and a psychiatrist.The IIT Bombay faculty members are Professor K Narayanan of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Professor Sandip Kumar Saha of the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Professor Deepti Kalsi of the Department of Chemistry. Saha is also the convener of the institute’s SC/ST Students and Staff Cell.The student representatives are Aditya Joshi, general secretary of hostel affairs; Dev Arora, overall coordinator of the Student Mentor Programme; and research scholar Devi Lal. Retired IAS officer Vishwanath Giriraj, former institute vigilance officer Professor K G Suresh of the Department of Physics, and psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty are also on the panel.Students Demand Independent Probe And Better Support SystemsStudents’ demands cover an independent inquiry, changes to grievance redressal and stronger mental health support. “The counselling hours on the campus have been increased and campus life looks like it is going back to normal. But we will strictly adhere to the deadline given to the Director next month,” a student said.IIT Bombay has also issued a revised timetable for the mid-semester examinations, which were cancelled amid unrest following Wakode’s death. The exams are scheduled to begin on September 25.Wakode’s family has alleged that he faced caste-based harassment. The Mumbai Police crime branch is investigating the case, including events surrounding an examination before his death. His parents had been expected to begin a fast on Wednesday but called it off. The family had not publicly clarified the reason at the time of reporting.ABVP Calls For Inquiry Before ActionThe Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) called for a thorough investigation and said action should be taken against anyone found responsible. Its national general secretary, Virendra Singh Solanki, said action before the facts were established would be inappropriate.Meanwhile, Legal Rights Observatory head Vinay Joshi has emailed a complaint to the Mumbai Police alleging that professors and advocates were stirring caste tensions and spreading false information. The allegations in the complaint have not been established.IIT Bombay Protests Continue Over Sahil Wakode’s Death As Panel Report Expected Within A WeekIn an email on campus inclusion, Doolla said IIT Bombay wanted students to bond “irrespective of their caste, religion or scores”. The institute’s anti-discrimination guidelines, first circulated in 2023, discourage students from asking one another about their caste, admission category or examination ranks.Outside the Powai campus, Youth Congress workers and members of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) continued to raise slogans. At a “Justice for Sahil” demonstration, VBA leader Sujaat Ambedkar described Wakode’s death as “nothing but institutional murder”, said Sujaat Ambedkar. The circumstances of the death remain under investigation.Campus entry was restricted for outsiders on Wednesday. The restriction extended to food deliveries, with students asked to walk to the main gate to collect their orders.To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/

Mumbai: Protests continued outside IIT Bombay on Wednesday, days after the death of second-year student Sahil Wakode, as the institute restricted campus entry for outsiders. Meanwhile the panel set up by IIT Bombay is expected to present the report in a week. IIT Panel Report Expected Within A WeekYouth Congress workers and members of the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) raised slogans outside the campus, while a handful of IIT Bombay students continued a sit-in inside. "We demand that Prof Doolla should be stripped off his Professorship until then we will continue to protest," said a student.While the institute has released the revised timetable of the mid-semester exams which were cancelled after unrest stirred among the students after the incident. The exams will begin of September 25. At a “Justice for Sahil” demonstration, Sujaat Ambedkar, a VBA leader described Wakode’s death as “nothing but institutional murder". The remark is the protester’s allegation; the circumstances of Wakode’s death remain under investigation.Political Groups Raise Allegations At ProtestThe Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) called for a thorough investigation and said action should be taken against anyone found responsible after the inquiry. ABVP national general secretary Virendra Singh Solanki said taking action before establishing the facts would not be appropriate.Wakode’s parents had been expected to begin a fast on Wednesday, but the protest was called off. No reason for the decision had been clarified by the family at the time of reporting.The restrictions of entry to Powai campus extended to food deliveries, with students asked to walk to the main gate to collect their orders.Inside the institute, students have pressed an 18-point charter of demands covering an independent inquiry, grievance redressal and mental health services. IIT Bombay has set up a panel with student representatives to address concerns relating to psychological support. Details Of IIT Bombay Inquiry CommitteeThe committee is headed by Prof Ramesh Venkateswaran, chairman of the Board of Governors at IIT-Palakkad. It includes faculty members, students, an administrator, a former vigilance officer and a psychiatrist.Among the IIT-Bombay faculty members on the panel are Prof K Narayanan from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Prof Sandip Kumar Saha from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Prof Deepti Kalsi from the Department of Chemistry. Prof Saha is also the convener of the institute’s SC/ST Students and Staff Cell.Three students have also been included in the committee — Aditya Joshi, general secretary of hostel affairs, Dev Arora, overall coordinator of the Student Mentor Programme, and research scholar Devi Lal.Bhiwandi Court Extends Custody Of TET Paper Leak Accused As Police Probe 150 Names Found In ListThe other members are retired IAS officer Vishwanath Giriraj, former institute vigilance officer Prof K G Suresh from the Department of Physics and psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty.The institute has sent Professor Suryanarayana Doolla over a week-long leave and has been relieved from the administrative post as Dean of Administrative Affairs. Students have continued to seek further action.Wakode’s family has alleged that he faced caste-based harassment. The Mumbai Police crime branch is investigating the case, including events surrounding an examination before his death.To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/