Archive · 23 Sep 2026
IIT Bombay Student Death Sparks Probe and Politicisation Debate
Sahil Wakode was a student at IIT Bombay who was found dead in his hostel room.
This happened on September 18, after he was stopped during an exam.
Institute officials said he had allegedly used a phone to access ChatGPT.
Sahil’s parents said he had told them that a professor and others had insulted and mistreated him because of his caste.
They want the police to investigate and arrest people if evidence shows they were responsible.
Police charged Professor Suryanarayana Doolla under a law protecting Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and for alleged abetment to suicide.
IIT Bombay appointed a 10-member panel and removed Doolla from his dean’s position.
The institute’s alumni association called for a fair investigation and warned against online speculation and media trials.
The main question is what the evidence shows about the exam incident, the alleged harassment and Sahil’s death.
Second-year BTech student Sahil Wakode, 22, was found hanging in his IIT Bombay hostel room on September 18.
IIT Bombay officials said Wakode was stopped from an examination after allegedly using a mobile phone to access ChatGPT, while his family questioned the evidence.
Wakode’s parents alleged he faced casteist slurs, abuse, humiliation and prolonged harassment by Professor Suryanarayana Doolla.
Doolla was charged under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and for alleged abetment to suicide, and was removed as dean and sent on leave.
IIT Bombay appointed a 10-member panel, while police continued questioning and the alumni association urged a fair investigation without media trials or speculation.
- Who
- Sahil Wakode, his parents Sonali and Ravindra Wakode, Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, IIT Bombay officials, police, protesters and the institute’s alumni association.
- What
- Wakode’s death prompted allegations of caste-based harassment, an exam-related cheating dispute, a criminal case against Doolla and an IIT Bombay inquiry.
- When
- Wakode was found dead on September 18; the articles also refer to a Tuesday when his parents made their allegations.
- Where
- Wakode’s hostel room on the IIT Bombay campus in Mumbai.
- Why
- The circumstances are disputed: the institute cited alleged access to ChatGPT during an exam, while Wakode’s parents alleged caste-based abuse, humiliation and institutional harassment.
Accountability and Caste-Discrimination Concerns
Evidence, Due Process and Non-Politicisation
Cause of the student’s distress
Accountability and Caste-Discrimination Concerns
Wakode’s parents said he told them that Doolla used caste-based insults and that he had been tortured, abused and humiliated for roughly three months. They and campus protesters sought action against those responsible.
Evidence, Due Process and Non-Politicisation
IIT Bombay’s account focused on the exam incident, saying Wakode was stopped after allegedly accessing ChatGPT and that no formal disciplinary action was taken. The allegations of harassment remain subject to investigation.
Case against Professor Doolla
Accountability and Caste-Discrimination Concerns
The police case and the family’s allegations indicate that investigators are examining whether Doolla’s conduct involved caste-based wrongdoing or contributed to Wakode’s death.
Evidence, Due Process and Non-Politicisation
The editorial article called the criminal case excessive and argued that the allegations should be tested through evidence, transparent investigation and due process. Activist Sudheendra Kulkarni separately called for withdrawal of the SC/ST Act case and debate on reform of the law.
Role of political and public pressure
Accountability and Caste-Discrimination Concerns
Parents, students, activists and political leaders have raised concerns about institutional accountability, discrimination and the handling of the investigation.
Evidence, Due Process and Non-Politicisation
IIT Bombay’s alumni association urged people to avoid online speculation and media trials, while the editorial argued that political rhetoric should not replace evidence or intensify social divisions.
- Student
- Sahil Wakode, 22, a second-year BTech student in Energy Science and Engineering
- Institution
- Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
- Death
- Wakode was found hanging in his hostel room on September 18 evening
- Exam dispute
- Officials alleged he used a mobile phone to access ChatGPT during a mid-semester examination; his family asked for evidence
- Family allegations
- Wakode’s parents alleged casteist slurs, abuse, humiliation and harassment over about three months
- Police case
- Professor Suryanarayana Doolla was charged under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and for alleged abetment to suicide
- Institutional response
- IIT Bombay appointed a 10-member panel, and Doolla was removed as dean of Administrative Affairs and sent on leave
- Alumni position
- The IIT Bombay Alumni Association called for a fair, transparent and speedy investigation without media trials or online speculation
