There is hope of a resolution over the standoff between protesters and IIT Bombay authorities following the death by suicide of a second-year BTech student on campus.
The institute has now apologised for what it called “statements contained in our earlier communication concerning the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate demise of Sahil.”
On the suspended professor, the faculty forum cited the institute’s prescribed procedure under which professor Doolla reported the incident to the authorities concerned for action.
The details and circumstances leading up to the incident remain subject to investigation by the appropriate authorities,” IIT Bombay said in a post on X. The forum said the student was found carrying and using an unauthorised smartphone during the examination.
“We apologise for the statements contained in our earlier communication concerning the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate demise of Sahil.
The matter escalated after protesters and the student’s family alleged Wakode was subjected to institutional harassment and caste-based discrimination on campus, due to which he died by suicide. The parents have filed a case under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, alleging discrimination.
The Mumbai Crime Branch has taken over the investigation. They are also checking for any digital evidence in the student’s mobile phone as no note was found in the hostel room. The police are likely to issue summons to individuals named in the first information report (FIR) including Doolla for questioning.
The IIT Bombay administration’s apology came after officials met the protesting students to look into their 18 demands that include ensuring student representation in academic committees, independent investigation into four cases of death by suicide on campus and mental health workshops for professors, among other demands.
“In view of the ongoing investigation, it was inappropriate to have set out or characterised details relating to the events preceding his demise before they had been duly established through the appropriate investigative process,” it said.
