Outrage Mounts Over IIT Bombay Student Sahil Wakode's Death as Parents Launch Hunger Strike and NCSC Inspects Campus Following the tragic death of second-year student Sahil Wakode at IIT Bombay, his parents have begun a fast at Azad Maidan alleging caste-based harassment, while the NCSC team visited the campus to probe the case. A severe controversy has gripped the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay following the suspicious death of a student on its Powai campus, prompting widespread student protests and high-level official scrutiny. Seeking justice, the grieving parents have launched an indefinite hunger strike at Mumbai's Azad Maidan, alleging systematic caste-based discrimination and relentless mental harassment within the institution. As tensions escalated across administrative and political spheres, National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) Chairman Kishor Makwana visited the campus to conduct an on-site inquiry and review ongoing police investigations. Discovery of the Body in Powai Hostel and Crime Branch Probe The tragedy came to light on September 18, 2026, when 22-year-old Sahil Wakode was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his hostel room inside the Powai campus. Sahil was a second-year undergraduate in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, hailing originally from Yavatmal in Maharashtra. Rejecting any suggestion of a routine suicide, his family maintained that he was driven to take the extreme step due to sustained hostility. They asserted that Sahil had been repeatedly subjected to casteist slurs and intense harassment. Following a sharp wave of fury from student bodies and political groups, Mumbai Police transferred the investigation directly to the Crime Branch. Parents Stage Fast at Azad Maidan Demanding Key Arrests Devastated by their loss, Sahil's parents, Ravindra and Sonali Wakode, took their fight for accountability to the streets. According to their advocate, Siddharth Ingle, the parents began a hunger strike at Azad Maidan to demand immediate action. His mother, Sonali Wakode, highlighted her son's exceptional track record, noting that he was slated to lead a 50-member team for robotics and AI events and had earned a selection at the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). She argued that someone with such bright prospects would never end his life unless pushed beyond endurance by institutional hostility. The family has demanded the immediate arrest of IIT Bombay Director Shireesh Kedare and Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, along with stringent prosecution. Under mounting pressure, the institute administration removed Professor Doolla from his post as Dean of Administrative Affairs. Furthermore, the institute deferred the scheduled mid-semester examinations from September 26-27 to October 10-11 to maintain calm across the campus. NCSC Intervention, Police Review, and Fast-Track Demands Recognizing the gravity of the allegations, NCSC Chairman Kishor Makwana conducted a direct inspection of the campus, assessing the location where the tragedy occurred. Makwana met with Sahil's parents, listening to their grievances and offering assurances of a thorough and impartial review. The commission also held a high-level review meeting with the Mumbai Police Commissioner and senior Crime Branch officials to examine the case files and progress made in the probe. An FIR has been registered against Professor Suryanarayana Doolla under charges of abetment to suicide and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The family and student representatives are now urging authorities to place the trial before a fast-track court, seeking swift legal accountability to ensure other students are spared similar ordeal in premier higher educational institutions. What this means for you This incident has triggered intensified scrutiny over anti-harassment safeguards and campus welfare policies across premier higher educational institutions. • Across India: Demands for stricter oversight on caste discrimination and student grievances are expected to gain momentum across national technical campuses. Families and student bodies will likely push for transparent, independent grievance redressal mechanisms inside university premises. • In Mumbai: Mid-semester examinations at IIT Bombay stand postponed from September 26-27 to October 10-11. Heightened monitoring and security arrangements remain in place across the Powai campus and Azad Maidan amid ongoing demonstrations. • For Students and Parents: The development underscores the urgency of addressing mental distress and hostile environments in residential college dormitories. Students facing institutional prejudice may increasingly seek direct intervention from statutory commissions and law enforcement. • At the Administrative Level: The direct involvement of the Crime Branch and NCSC sets a precedent for swift institutional accountability involving senior academic officers. Calls for placing such sensitive cases before fast-track courts could influence future investigative protocols. Why this happened The escalation follows the death of IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode under suspicious conditions and subsequent allegations of caste-based harassment lodged by his family. • Immediate Circumstances: Sahil was found hanging in his hostel room at the Powai campus on September 18, 2026. While initial reports pointed to suicide, his family claimed he was driven to take his life due to intolerable external pressure. • Allegations of Caste-Based Harassment: The family stated that Sahil was subjected to relentless mental torture and derogatory casteist abuse within the academic environment. They maintained that a student selected for ISRO and leading major robotics initiatives would not end his life without severe victimisation. • Escalation and Investigative Steps: Massive outrage by student and political organizations forced the transfer of the inquiry to the Mumbai Crime Branch, leading to an FIR under the SC/ST Act and abetment to suicide charges against Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, alongside an independent inquiry by the NCSC. Questions & Answers 1. Who was Sahil Wakode and what was his academic background? Sahil Wakode was a 22-year-old second-year student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering at IIT Bombay, originally hailing from Yavatmal, Maharashtra. 2. What allegations have Sahil Wakode's parents raised? His parents have alleged that he was subjected to persistent caste-based abuse, systemic discrimination, and intense mental torture that drove him to his death. 3. What action have the parents taken to seek justice? His parents, Ravindra and Sonali Wakode, have launched an indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan in Mumbai demanding arrests and accountability. 4. What administrative step has IIT Bombay taken regarding Professor Suryanarayana Doolla? Amid widespread protests, the institute removed Professor Suryanarayana Doolla from his administrative role as Dean of Administrative Affairs. 5. How has the academic schedule at IIT Bombay been affected? The mid-semester examinations scheduled for September 26-27 have been postponed to October 10-11. 6. Which agency is currently investigating the case? Following widespread student and political agitation, the inquiry was transferred to the Mumbai Police Crime Branch. https://trendkia.com/en/national/iit-bombay-men-chhatra-sahil-wakode-ki-mauta-para-bharaka-akrosha-parijanon-ne-shuru-kiya-anashana-aura-jancha-ke-lie-pahunchi-ncs-37938 TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.