IIT Bombay Set Up Panel to Look Into Student’s Suicide
IIT Bombay to set up a panel to look into student suicide. Investigation underway into the death of second-year BTech student Sahil Wakode.
As per reports, IIT Bombay has set up a 10-member high-level committee to look into the circumstances surrounding the suicide of BTech student Sahil Wakode. The institution and management have been under fire after the second-year BTech student took his life. Professor Suryanarayan Doolla has since been relieved of all administrative duties until the investigation regarding the case is completed.
As per reports, the 10-member committee is headed by Prof Ramesh Venkateswaran, chairman of the Board of Governors at IIT-Palakkad. The committee has been asked to submit its report within a week. Apart from Prof Venkateswaran, the committee includes faculty members, students, an administrator, a former vigilance officer and a psychiatrist. Faculty members on the panel are Prof K Narayanan from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Prof Deepti Kalsi from the Department of Chemistry, and Prof Sandip Kumar Saha from the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Prof Saha is also the convener of the institute’s SC/ST Students and Staff Cell. The committee also has three student members – Aditya Joshi, general secretary of hostel affairs; Dev Arora, overall coordinator of the Student Mentor Programme; and research scholar Devi Lal. The move came after certain media channels aired the CCTV footage from the examination hall, which showed Sahil's movements before the Professor approached him, leading him away from the exam hall after being caught copying.
Mumbai Police Crime Branch, which is investigating the case, has, however, not commented on the footage. Sahil’s father Ravindra said that he will begin a hunger strike if the officials at IIT Bombay named in the FIR are not arrested.
The FIR alleges abetment to suicide on grounds of caste discrimination. Professor Suryanarayan Doola, who is named in the FIR, has been sent on leave to facilitate an impartial investigation into the case.
Powai police registered a First Information Report naming Prof. Doolla per a complaint by Ravindra Wakode, father of the deceased Sahil Wakode. The charges include abetment of suicide and Sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The investigation has since been handed over to the Crime Branch.
The Mumbai police have appealed to individuals and the public to refrain from speculations, spreading misinformation or drawing premature conclusions about the investigation. The media has also been requested to follow information provided through official channels only.
Sahil Wakode died by suicide after being caught cheating during an examination. The parents of the victim have alleged caste discrimination, invoking proceedings as per the SC/ST Act. Professor Suryanarayan Doolla, who was the invigilator at the time, was put on administrative leave until the investigations into the matter conclude. Parents and students have also demanded the resignation of IIT Bombay Director Shirish Kedare. Raj Thackery, while taking to social media, described the death of Sahil as deeply unfortunate, adding that no one is discussing the reason why he felt compelled to resort to taking his own life. Addressing the issues would be a fitting tribute to him and the many others like him who took their own lives, unable to bear the stress, he added.
Sherin is an education journalist with over 7 years of experience. Over her tenure of working with top media houses like Careers 360 and then Jagran Josh, Sherin has covered various entrance examinations liek JEE Main, NEET, CUET, GATE, etc. as well as various state board and CBSE results. Her understanding of the education ecosystem coupled with her own experience of teaching as an Assistant Professor of nearly 2 years helps her provide a comprehensive perspective to students. She has a Masters Degree in Communication from Madras Christian College. Apart from covering education news, Sherin also enjoys reading and cooking.
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