IIT Bombay Suicide Case: What We Know So Far!

The death of Sahil Ravindra Wakode, a second-year student at IIT Bombay, has become a major sensation across the country. 

It has triggered protests on campus, a criminal investigation, allegations of caste-based harassment and now a separate internal inquiry by the institute, apart from a professor being sent on leave. What began with an examination incident on September 18 has since raised questions about what happened between Sahil and a professor, whether he actually used ChatGPT during the exam and whether alleged caste-based harassment played a role in his death.

Background Of The Case

Sahil was a second-year BTech student in IIT Bombay’s Energy Science and Engineering department. On September 18, he was appearing for a mid-semester examination. Police sources said CCTV footage shows Sahil looking at something in his pocket between around 12.30 pm and 12.45 pm. Professor Suryanarayana Doolla approached him, questioned him and took him aside from the other students. Police sources described a verbal or heated exchange between the two before Sahil left the examination area. 

The same police reconstruction places Sahil back at his hostel at around 1.25 pm. CCTV reportedly shows him entering his room, after which investigators have not found footage of him leaving. He was subsequently found dead in the room. The Crime Branch is now examining what happened between the examination incident and Sahil’s return to his hostel, as well as what happened inside the examination hall itself.

The Phone Question

The question of what Sahil was doing with his phone has become central to the case. IIT Bombay’s initial account said Sahil had been caught using a mobile phone during the examination and had allegedly uploaded the question paper to ChatGPT to obtain answers. But the institute subsequently apologised for its communication, saying it was inappropriate to characterise the circumstances surrounding his death before the investigation had established the facts.

Media reports, citing Crime Branch sources, subsequently reported that CCTV footage establishes the interaction between Sahil and Prof. Suryanarayana but does not establish that Sahil uploaded the examination paper to ChatGPT. 

Police sources said investigators have taken a data clone of Sahil’s phone and are examining it along with CCTV footage and witness statements. So while the alleged phone use is part of the investigation, the specific claim that Sahil used ChatGPT to cheat remains to be established through the digital evidence. 

Caste Discrimination Allegations

The case took a more serious turn when Sahil’s parents alleged that their son had been subjected to caste-based harassment and humiliation at IIT Bombay. They specifically accused Prof. Suryanarayana. A PTI report published by Business Today quoted Sahil’s mother as saying that he had told the family about caste-based remarks and harassment over a period of months. His father subsequently approached the police, and an FIR was registered invoking provisions relating to abetment of suicide and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

It is important to distinguish the allegations in the FIR from established findings. The FIR records the family’s complaint and the sections of law invoked by police; it does not establish that the allegations are true or that Prof. Suryanarayana caused or contributed to Sahil’s death. That remains part of the investigation. (Business Today)

IIT Bombay Denies Caste Discrimination

IIT Bombay has disputed the family’s account. A PTI report carried by Telangana Today quoted IIT Bombay Faculty Forum president Rajkumar Pant as saying Sahil had not approached the institute’s SC/ST cell with a complaint in recent months. The Faculty Forum has defended Prof. Suryanarayana and called for due process. Faculty groups from several other IITs have also called for an impartial investigation and cautioned against drawing conclusions before the evidence is examined.

IIT Initiates Action Against The Professor

Meanwhile, IIT Bombay has taken action against Prof. Suryanarayana. On September 21, the institute removed him from his position as Dean of Administrative Affairs. On September 23, he was sent on leave while the investigation continues. A PTI report published by Economic Times said the leave was intended to facilitate an impartial investigation. An IANS report carried by Mid-Day also confirmed the decision. The Crime Branch is expected to question Prof. Suryanarayana, and the latest reports said his statement had not yet been recorded.

The distinction matters: Prof. Suryanarayana has been named as an accused in the FIR, removed from an administrative position and sent on leave, but none of these actions amounts to a finding that he is responsible for Sahil’s death. 

IIT Sets Up Internal Inquiry

The police investigation is now running alongside an internal inquiry by IIT Bombay. The Times of India reported that the institute’s Board of Governors has constituted a 10-member committee headed by Prof. Ramesh Venkateswaran, chairman of the Board of Governors of IIT Palakkad. The panel includes faculty members, students, an administrator and a psychiatrist and has been given one week to submit its report. 

Student Protests

The death has also led to sustained student protests. Students submitted an 18-point charter of demands covering institutional accountability, disciplinary procedures, student welfare and mental-health support. The protests have broadened the issue beyond the examination incident, with students questioning how IIT Bombay handles disciplinary proceedings and student welfare.

What Is Established So Far

For now, the broad sequence is established: Sahil was involved in an examination incident on September 18, had an interaction with Professor Suryanarayana, returned to his hostel and was later found dead. But several crucial parts of the story remain unresolved. Investigators still have to establish whether Sahil actually used ChatGPT, exactly what was said during his interaction with Prof. Suryanarayana, whether he was threatened with disciplinary action, whether the allegations of caste-based harassment can be substantiated, and whether any of these events contributed to his death.

Those questions are now being examined by the Mumbai Crime Branch through CCTV, phone forensics and witness statements, while IIT Bombay’s internal committee has been given a week to submit its findings.

Tags IIT Bombay