A day after a 22-year-old student died by suicide in his hostel room, Mumbai Police have registered an FIR against the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Bombay on Saturday. His parents joined a protest at the institute's main gate on Saturday morning, demanding an explanation for his death.The boy was found using a mobile phone during an examination and had uploaded the question paper on ChatGPT to seek answers on Friday evening. His mother claimed that her son was “tortured" and said she would file a complaint seeking justice for him.
“My son has been tortured. I will file a complaint. I need justice for my child," the student's mother said.
The student has been identified as Sahil Ravindra Wakode, a native of Maharashtra's Yavatmal district, was found hanging from the ceiling fan in his room in Hostel Number 4 on the Powai campus on Friday evening. The death is the third reported case of suicide at the IIT Bombay campus in Powai in seven months.
The incident came to light after his hostel mates received no response from his room and alerted the authorities, who subsequently informed the police.
No suicide note was recovered from the spot, an official said, adding that the Powai police have registered an accidental death report (ADR) and sent the body for a post-mortem examination.
Students at IIT Bombay held a late-night protest following the death of the second-year student, demanding accountability and transparency from the institute's administration. Police personnel were deployed on campus to control the situation as discussions were held between students and the administration.
What His Parents Said
"We need justification for our son's death. He was our only child. He was not someone who would give up. He was a fighter and came from a very poor background. Until we get an explanation for his death, we will not leave the main gate. We are ready to face any action from the authorities and will fight for justice for our son," one of the student's parents said.
The parents also alleged that discrimination on campus could have been one of the reasons behind their son's death. Students have started a social media campaign demanding justice and raising questions about the circumstances surrounding the incident.
One of the protesting students, Pranay, said, "I am a 3rd-year undergraduate student in the Electrical branch at IIT Bombay. We are protesting today because a suicide occurred at our college. We have come out to demand accountability and transparency from the administration. This isn't the first incident. There have been four this year, with two occurring in just the last two months. We are completely in the dark about why this is happening or what the underlying reasons are... We simply want the Dean, the Director, and the administration to provide a report assuring us that they will look into the matter, ensure accountability and transparency, and guarantee that such incidents do not happen again on their watch..."
What Did IIT Bombay Say?
IIT Bombay has issued a statement on the death of a second-year student from the Department of Energy Science and Engineering. The student died by suicide on Friday evening.
"Earlier in the day, during an examination, the student was found using a mobile phone in the exam hall. He had uploaded the examination question paper on ChatGPT to seek answers. No disciplinary action was initiated against the student. The matter was also discussed with the student by the instructor and the Head of the Department, who counselled him and assured him that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career. The student subsequently returned to his hostel room. Later in the evening, he was found dead in his room," IIT Bombay said in a statement.
"IIT Bombay is deeply saddened by the loss of a student. The Institute is extending support to the students' friends, classmates, faculty members, and others affected by this tragic incident. The circumstances surrounding the death are being looked into by the appropriate authorities," it added.
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