IIT Bombay Professor Suryanarayana Doolla Sent On Leave Amid Sahil Wakode's Death Probe; 10-Member Panel Formed
Mumbai: IIT Bombay professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who was booked in connection with the death by suicide of 22-year-old BTech student Sahil Wakode, has been sent on leave by the institute amid an ongoing probe into the circumstances surrounding the student's death.
The development comes as the Mumbai Crime Branch continues its investigation and has summoned Doolla for questioning on Wednesday. The professor is expected to appear before the investigating agency as it examines the events leading up to Wakode's death.
IIT Bombay has also constituted a 10-member panel to conduct an internal inquiry into the case, reported India Today. The committee is expected to submit its report within a week, with the institute examining the circumstances surrounding the student's death and the allegations concerning his treatment by faculty members.
Sahil's Parents Demand JusticeThe latest developments came a day after the Crime Branch recorded statements from Sahil's parents as part of its investigation. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Sahil's father, Ravindra Wakode, said the family had faith in the administration and the Constitution and expected justice for their son.
He demanded that the accused in the case be questioned and arrested. “The accused in the case should be questioned and arrested. Only after the arrest will everything come out,” Ravindra said.
He also rejected allegations that Sahil had cheated during the JEE Advanced examination, calling them an attempt to divert attention from the issues surrounding his son's death. Ravindra described Sahil as a bright student and pointed to his performance in the highly competitive entrance examination.
Sahil's mother, Sonali Wakode, said the family was struggling to cope with the loss and appealed for justice for her son. “I am a mother and a teacher. I have lost my child, and only a mother can understand how much pain I am going through,” she said.
Sonali also alleged that Sahil had told his family about facing torture and casteist slurs. She said the family had continued to reassure him that his future would be bright and expressed regret that they did not bring him home when he spoke about the difficulties he was facing.
IIT Bombay Protests End, But Student-Faculty Divide Deepens Over Caste, Accountability And Doolla ActionSahil, a second-year BTech student in IIT Bombay's Department of Energy Science and Engineering, was found hanging in his hostel room on the Powai campus on September 18 evening. His death came hours after he was allegedly caught using a mobile phone to access ChatGPT during a mid-semester examination.
The case has since sparked allegations over the treatment of Sahil and the conduct of faculty members. These allegations have not been established and are being examined as part of the ongoing investigation. The Mumbai Crime Branch and IIT Bombay's internal panel are now examining statements and other available evidence to establish the sequence of events leading up to Sahil's death.
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