Mumbai | September 24, 2026
A fresh development has emerged in the death of IIT-Bombay student Sahil Wakode. Mumbai Police reportedly detained his father, Ravindra Wakode, in Bhandup on Thursday while he was on his way to the institute’s Powai campus to begin a hunger strike.
Ravindra Wakode said he wanted to stage the hunger strike following the death of his son, a second-year BTech student in the Energy Science and Engineering Department, who died by suicide on September 18.
Police Examine CCTV Footage
According to the preliminary investigation by the Mumbai Crime Branch, CCTV footage from September 18 shows Sahil inside an examination hall between around 12:30 pm and 12:45 pm.
Police said approximately 15 minutes remained before the examination was scheduled to end. During this period, Sahil was reportedly seen bending down to look at something kept in his pocket. A professor subsequently questioned him and took him aside from the other students, according to the preliminary police account.
After leaving the examination hall, police said Sahil moved around the campus and reached his hostel room at approximately 1:25 pm. Investigators said he did not leave the room afterward.
The investigation is being conducted by the Crime Branch under the supervision of senior officers. Police have appealed to the public to avoid speculation and refrain from reaching conclusions before the investigation is completed.
IIT-Bombay Forms 10-Member Committee
IIT-Bombay has constituted a 10-member committee to examine the circumstances surrounding Sahil’s death.
As part of the institutional response, Professor Doola has reportedly been relieved of administrative responsibilities and sent on leave pending the inquiry. Some current and former colleagues have expressed support for him and questioned the decision to suspend his deanship.
Former IIT-Bombay Board of Governors chairman Sharad Kumar Saraf has also publicly backed Professor Doola, saying he had worked with him during his tenure and regarded him as an honest professor. Saraf further said he was not aware of evidence establishing caste-based discrimination against Doola.
Family Raises Allegations
Sahil’s family has alleged that he faced harassment and caste-based discrimination. The institute has maintained that the circumstances surrounding the examination-related incident and the student’s death are being examined.
With the police investigation and the institute-appointed committee proceeding separately, the circumstances leading to Sahil’s death remain under investigation.
(SDNA)