IIT Bombay faculty support Professor Dulla following student's suicide

Amidst the concern surrounding the death of student Sahil, the IIT Bombay institute publicly apologized on social media for its previous statements. The institution admitted that it was irresponsible and inappropriate to comment on the circumstances or causes of the incident before the police investigation was complete.

Furthermore, according to available information, the institute has met several demands from students. A decision was made to suspend the activities of the professor involved in the case.

IIT Bombay News:

The recent sudden death of student Sahil on the IIT Bombay campus shocked the entire community. Immediately after the incident, the IIT administration released a statement mentioning certain circumstances related to the incident that had not been officially proven.

Questions began to arise regarding this stance of the institute and the hastily made statement while the investigation was ongoing. As a result, the administration found itself in a defensive position and was forced to issue a public apology on X (Twitter).

What was in IIT Bombay's apology?

Posting on the official IIT Bombay account on X, the institute wrote: 'We apologize for the statements made in our previous post regarding the circumstances of Sahil's tragic death.' The administration acknowledged its mistake and added that the details and circumstances leading to this case are currently under investigation by the relevant authorities. They emphasized that it was inappropriate to provide or determine the details of the events before establishing the facts within due investigative procedure, given the ongoing investigation.

Why is this U-turn so important?

After such an unpleasant incident on any campus, the truth is established only through forensic examination and official investigation. Any statement by the institute before receiving a report can influence the direction of the investigation.

Action taken against the professor

While IIT Bombay was forced to publicly apologize for its initial statements regarding the death of student Sahil, the administration also took decisive steps amid growing dissatisfaction and protests on campus. Following disputes and questions on social media related to the case, administrative action was taken against the professor from the relevant department. Students claimed that the situation escalated due to administrative negligence and indifference, after which the institute stated its confidence in an impartial investigation and took these measures.

The institute also officially denied rumors circulating on social media amidst campus unrest and protests that the Director of IIT Bombay had resigned. The institute issued a statement clearly stating that the Director of IIT Bombay had not resigned, and that such reports were completely false.

It should be noted that following Sahil's suicide, students have been holding demonstrations on campus, demanding the resignation of the director along with their '18-point charter'. Local police and investigative agencies are currently conducting a thorough investigation into all aspects of the case. The true cause of Sahil's death will only become clear after the release of the official investigation report.

The parents of 22-year-old IIT Bombay student Sahil Ravindra Wakode have accused the institution of racial discrimination and institutional harassment following his death. Consequently, the police registered a case for abetment to suicide under the Indian Penal Code and also invoked the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act (SC/ST Act).

Sahil Ravindra Wakode, a second-year undergraduate student in Energy Science and Engineering, was found dead in his hostel room on the Pavai campus on Friday evening. Sahil's mother stated: 'My son was murdered and tortured. We demand justice.'

DCP Datt Nalawade reported that the case was filed against individuals named in the complaint submitted on behalf of Sahil's father, and that all aspects of the case will be investigated.

Initially, the police registered a report of accidental death as no suicide note was found. According to police information, Sahil's death occurred several hours after he was caught using a mobile phone during an exam. IIT Bombay stated that Sahil uploaded the examination paper to ChatGPT to get answers, and that no disciplinary action was taken against him.

According to IIT Bombay, an instructor and head of the department spoke with Sahil, explained the situation to him, and assured him that it would not affect his academic career. After this, he returned to his hostel room.

Protests took place on campus after Sahil's death. Protesting students claimed that after being caught using a mobile phone during an exam, he was threatened with suspension. They also demanded the resignation of IIT Bombay Director Shirish Kedare.

The institute refuted the claim of any disciplinary action against Sahil, reiterating that he was told it would not impact his academic career. IIT Bombay stated that it is supporting friends, classmates, faculty, and others affected by his death. The institute said: 'Appropriate officials are investigating the circumstances of the death.'