The controversy surrounding the death of Sahil Ravindra Wakode, a BTech student at IIT Bombay, has deepened with unexpected testimony from within his social circle. A close friend of the deceased student has come forward, indicating that he did not observe any indications of caste-based discrimination against Sahil. According to the friend, Sahil appeared entirely composed, cheerful, and routine in his daily interactions just days before the examination, showing no visible signs of emotional distress or suicidal ideation.
The Cheating Allegation and Chain of Events
Sahil Wakode was a second-year BTech student enrolled in the Energy Science and Engineering department. On September 18, during a scheduled examination, an invigilator discovered a mobile phone in his possession. The student faced allegations of uploading the examination question paper to ChatGPT in an attempt to fetch answers while sitting in the examination hall. Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who was serving as the exam invigilator, caught the unauthorised phone usage.
Following standard institutional guidelines regarding academic dishonesty, Professor Doolla reported the infraction to the relevant institute authorities. According to Sahil's friend, the professor subsequently escorted Sahil out of the examination venue. However, the precise sequence of events and conversations that occurred immediately following their departure from the hall remains unobserved by his peers. A few hours after this incident, Sahil was found dead inside his hostel room, triggering immediate unrest across the campus.
Police Complaint and Serious Legal Charges
In the wake of the tragedy, student groups organised protests demanding strict action, while Sahil's family approached law enforcement authorities. Acting on a formal complaint filed by Sahil's father, police registered an FIR against Professor Suryanarayana Doolla invoking sections related to abetment of suicide alongside provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The father alleged that Sahil was harassed on the basis of his caste identity and subjected to caste-specific slurs.
However, the narrative offered by Sahil's close friend presents a completely contrasting perspective regarding the campus environment. The friend shared that he had spent time with Sahil around four to five days prior to the test. During that meeting, Sahil was interacting naturally with his peers, laughing, and engaging in customary conversations, with nothing to suggest that he was battling immense mental pressure or contemplating self-harm. This account has introduced significant complexity into the ongoing discourse.
Faculty Forum Backs Professor Doolla with Planned March
Amid escalating protests, the IIT Bombay Faculty Forum has rallied strongly behind Professor Doolla. Approximately 750 educators have decided to stage a campus solidarity march. In an official communication, the forum affirmed that Professor Doolla was simply fulfilling his professional duty as an invigilator by reporting a discovered exam irregularity in line with established academic protocols.
The faculty body also pointed out that Professor Doolla has not been dismissed or suspended from his faculty position at the institute. Instead, he was merely relieved of his administrative duties as Dean to guarantee that the ongoing inquiry remains independent, transparent, and fair. Describing him as an experienced, dedicated, and widely respected academic, the forum voiced sharp objections against misleading reports and unverified narratives circulating against him.
Crime Branch Takes Over Comprehensive Probe
Responding to student agitations and legal complaints, the administration moved swiftly to remove Professor Doolla from his administrative role as Dean with immediate effect. To ensure an exhaustive investigation, the inquiry into Sahil Wakode's death has been formally handed over to the Crime Branch of the Mumbai Police.
In a subsequent public statement, IIT Bombay stressed that the full sequence of events leading up to the student's death remains under active investigation. The institution cautioned that drawing premature conclusions before investigating officers finalise their findings would be inappropriate. The institute also tendered an apology regarding certain remarks made in its preliminary communications.
