Yugcharan News / 22-09-2026
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay on Monday apologised for its earlier communication concerning the circumstances surrounding the death by suicide of second-year BTech student Sahil Wakode, saying it was inappropriate to characterise events before they were established through the ongoing investigation. The institute also suspended the deanship of Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who was named in a police case based on allegations made by Wakode’s family.
The developments came after three days of protests on the IIT Bombay campus, where students have demanded an independent inquiry into Wakode’s death, greater accountability, changes to disciplinary procedures and stronger safeguards for student welfare. The institute’s Director, Professor Shireesh Kedare, had earlier signed an 18-point charter of demands submitted by protesting students.
IIT Bombay apologises for earlier communication
In a statement issued on Monday, IIT Bombay expressed regret over the wording of its earlier communication about Wakode’s death.
The institute said it apologised for statements concerning the circumstances surrounding the student’s death and acknowledged that details leading up to the incident remained subject to investigation by the appropriate authorities.
IIT Bombay further said that, because the investigation was continuing, it had been inappropriate to set out or characterise details concerning events preceding Wakode’s death before those details had been established through the proper investigative process.
The apology followed criticism from students who argued that the institute’s earlier communication had disclosed details about an examination-related incident involving Wakode while he was no longer alive to respond to the allegations.
The earlier statement had said that Wakode had uploaded an examination question paper to ChatGPT from his phone in an attempt to obtain answers. According to that communication, the student was subsequently spoken to by the instructor and department head, counselled and assured that the incident would not affect his academic career. The institute had also said that no disciplinary action had been initiated against him.
The original communication remained on IIT Bombay’s social media account even after the institute issued its later clarification, adding to criticism from students and others on campus.
Professor Doolla’s deanship suspended
Alongside the apology, IIT Bombay suspended Professor Suryanarayana Doolla from his administrative position as Dean of Administrative Affairs with immediate effect.
Director Shireesh Kedare communicated the decision to students in an email, stating that any further action would be taken after the investigation. Doolla continues to remain a faculty member at the institute, meaning the decision did not amount to his suspension from teaching or from his position as a professor.
Doolla was the professor overseeing the examination taken by Wakode. He has subsequently been named in an FIR registered by Mumbai Police following a complaint from Wakode’s parents.
The students protesting at IIT Bombay had demanded that Doolla be suspended from his professorial position as well. They have therefore indicated that the suspension of his administrative post does not fully address their demand.
The allegations against Doolla remain under investigation and have not been established as facts.
Family alleges caste-based discrimination
Wakode’s parents have alleged that their son faced caste-based discrimination and harassment at IIT Bombay. Based on their complaint, police registered a case containing allegations of abetment to suicide and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The allegations are currently part of an ongoing police investigation.
IIT Bombay has denied that Wakode had complained of caste discrimination to its SC/ST Students and Staff Cell. The institute has maintained that there was no such complaint recorded by the cell.
Doolla has also denied the allegations made against him, while the legal process and police investigation are continuing. The charges and allegations should therefore be viewed in that context unless and until established by the competent authorities.
Student protests and 18-point charter
The latest developments followed sustained protests by students after Wakode was found dead in his hostel room on Friday, hours after a mid-semester examination.
Students raised concerns not only about the immediate circumstances surrounding his death but also about the wider systems governing disciplinary proceedings, grievance redressal, healthcare and mental-health support on campus.
During discussions with the administration, students submitted an 18-point charter of demands. Director Shireesh Kedare signed the charter following a lengthy meeting with protesters on Sunday night.
Among the demands were an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Wakode’s death, reforms in student welfare mechanisms, changes in grievance-redressal procedures and enhanced mental-health support. Students have also sought round-the-clock psychiatric services on campus.
The institute’s Board of Governors was scheduled to consider the demands, with an open interaction with students expected as the administration communicates the next steps.
The campus remained tense as students continued to seek answers and institutional changes.
Faculty members back Professor Doolla
The suspension of Doolla’s administrative position was followed by a statement from IIT Bombay’s Faculty Forum supporting the professor.
The forum said it stood behind Doolla and expressed concern over what it described as the portrayal of the professor in sections of the media. According to the faculty body, Doolla had been carrying out his responsibilities during the examination and had acted in accordance with institutional procedures after allegedly finding Wakode in unauthorised possession and use of a smartphone.
The faculty’s position reflects a different account of the circumstances surrounding the examination from that being raised by protesting students and Wakode’s family.
The competing claims are now part of a matter being examined by the authorities. No final finding has been established regarding whether any conduct by Doolla contributed to Wakode’s death.
Several public figures have also expressed support for the professor, while others have questioned the handling of the incident and called for greater institutional accountability. These political and public reactions have added another dimension to an already contentious situation on the IIT Bombay campus.
Third unnatural death at IIT Bombay this year
Wakode’s death has also renewed attention on previous student deaths at IIT Bombay.
According to the details cited in reports, it was the third incident described as an “unnatural death” at the institute in seven months.
In February, 21-year-old second-year BTech Civil Engineering student Naman Agarwal died after falling from the terrace of a hostel building. Police initially registered an Accidental Death Report, and reports said no suicide note was found.
In July, 20-year-old second-year Materials Science student Sohil Rajkumar Sangwan was found dead in his hostel room. Police said a preliminary investigation pointed towards family-related issues and difficulties in a personal relationship, while no foul play was suspected at that stage.
The latest incident has therefore intensified existing concerns about student welfare and mental-health support at one of India’s premier engineering institutions.
Wider concern over student suicides at IITs
The situation at IIT Bombay has also revived broader concerns about student deaths and mental-health pressures at India's leading engineering institutions.
In 2023, 18-year-old IIT Bombay student Darshan Solanki died by suicide. His family had alleged caste discrimination at the institute. The case generated significant debate about caste, student welfare and institutional mechanisms for addressing complaints.
At IIT Delhi, a first-year BTech student, Harshit Swami, was found dead on campus in March this year. Police registered a case of abetment of suicide following a complaint by the institute’s security officer, while authorities continued to investigate the circumstances.
Against this backdrop, student groups at IIT Bombay are seeking changes that go beyond the immediate investigation into Wakode’s death. Their demands include stronger support systems, improved grievance mechanisms and greater access to mental-health services.
Director Shireesh Kedare clarifies resignation reports
The institute has also clarified reports concerning its director.
Amid the protests, reports had suggested that Director Shireesh Kedare had offered to resign. IIT Bombay subsequently clarified that he had not resigned.
The clarification came after Kedare reportedly told protesting students that he would resign, while later communication from the institute described reports of his resignation as false.
Meanwhile, the Board of Governors is expected to review the developments and the students’ 18-point charter.
For now, the police investigation into Wakode’s death remains underway. The allegations of caste discrimination and abetment against Doolla have not been established, while IIT Bombay’s own earlier account of the examination-related events has been qualified by its subsequent apology.
The case has consequently placed the focus on two parallel questions: the circumstances that preceded Wakode’s death and the institutional systems through which disciplinary action, student grievances and mental-health concerns are handled. Further findings from the ongoing investigation are expected to determine the facts surrounding the incident.
