A severe wave of unrest has gripped the Powai campus of the premier engineering institution following the heartbreaking death of a young undergraduate scholar. In the wake of mounting demonstrations organized by student bodies and political groups over the alleged suicide of 22-year-old Dalit student Sahil Wakode, the administration was forced into taking stern administrative steps. Professor Suryanarayana Doolla was relieved of his responsibilities as Dean of Administrative Affairs with immediate effect. Breaking with past practice, the authorities also tendered an unconditional public apology for their earlier communication, which had cast premature judgments regarding the sequence of events before a comprehensive inquiry could conclude.
Tragic Discovery in Powai Hostel Room
Hailing from the Yavatmal district in Maharashtra, Sahil was pursuing his second year of study in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering. His life came to a tragic end on Friday when his body was discovered hanging inside his hostel quarters on campus. Following a formal complaint lodged by his grieving family members, Mumbai Police registered a criminal case against the faculty member under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for abetment of suicide alongside stringent provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Prevention of Atrocities Act.
Confrontation During Mid-Semester Examination
The origins of the confrontation trace back to a mid-semester examination hall on Friday, where Sahil was accused of accessing the artificial intelligence tool ChatGPT on his handheld phone. Relatives of the deceased allege that the invigilating professor targeted the youth over his caste identity and subjected him to intense public humiliation in front of his peers. According to the family, the overwhelming psychological trauma and acute distress inflicted during that encounter pushed the young undergraduate into profound despair, culminating in the fatal incident.
Protests Escalate Over Partial Disciplinary Action
Although Director Shirish Kedare issued an official email on Monday afternoon announcing the removal of the faculty member from the administrative deanship, the decision failed to quell student anger. Demonstrators termed the step a mere superficial gesture since the academic retains his professorship and regular teaching status within the institution. Agitating students argued that allowing the accused to remain on the faculty roster could compromise the fairness and transparency of the ongoing legal inquiry. They continue to demand an immediate and total suspension from all instructional responsibilities, along with prompt custodial arrest by law enforcement authorities.
Firm Stand on Institutional Accountability
With the case drawing attention from the crime branch and escalating tensions across departmental corridors, campus collectives have adopted an uncompromising stance. Student representatives maintain that genuine justice for the deceased scholar requires total severance of the accused professor from active campus duties until criminal proceedings reach their conclusion. The campus remains on edge as demonstrations continue unabated, underscoring deep seated concerns regarding fair treatment and structural protection for marginalized students inside elite educational institutions.
