A stand-off has emerged after Mumbai Police directed Sahil Wakode’s parents to protest at Azad Maidan, instead of outside IIT Bombay’s main gate as they had wantedThis comes amid continuing scrutiny of the student’s death, ongoing campus protests, a Crime Branch investigation, and mounting questions over the institute’s handling of the matter.
Published: September 24, 2026, 8:51 PM IST
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Ravindra Wakode and Sonali Wakode, parents of 22-year-old BTech student Sahil Wakode, who allegedly died by suicide at the IIT Bombay campus, protest along with relatives at Azad Maidan in MumbaiPTI
Demanding justice for their son, the parents of late IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode held a sit-in protest at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan on Thursday, calling for the immediate arrest of a faculty member and a speedier investigation into his deathRavindra Wakode and Sonali Wakode, Sahil’s parents, insisted that police take swift and firm action against the professor in question.
Speaking to reporters during the protest, Ravindra Wakode specifically named the faculty member and demanded accountability while clarifying that they were not casting doubts on the police inquiry“We demand the arrest of prof DoollaWe are not questioning the investigation,” Ravindra Wakode said.
Highlighting his son’s academic record and extracurricular accomplishments, the grieving father stated, “You can ask anyoneThey will tell you how good a human Sahil wasHe was leading a team of 50 students on AI and roboticsDo you think such a meritorious student can do this? The investigation should be fast-tracked.”
IIT-Bombay student dies by suicide
Sahil Wakode, a second-year B.Tech student at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, died on September 18The case is currently under investigation by the Mumbai Police Crime BranchAccording to the preliminary investigation by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch, CCTV cameras recorded Sahil’s movements inside the examination hall between 12:30 PM and 12:45 PM on September 18With around 15 minutes remaining for the examination to conclude, Sahil was seen bending down to look at something kept in his pocket.
Subsequently, a professor questioned him and took him aside, away from the other students, according to the police.”After leaving the examination hall, Sahil moved across the campusHe reached his hostel room at approximately 1:25 PMHe did not step out of the room thereafter,” the Crime Branch official said.
Also Read | IIT Bombay professor Suryanarayana Doolla sent on leave amid probe into Sahil Wakode’s death
The probe is being conducted by an ACP-rank officer under the supervision of DCP Detection-I, Crime BranchPolice have urged people to refrain from speculation and drawing premature conclusionsIIT-Bombay has also constituted a 10-member committee to examine the circumstances surrounding Sahil’s deathProfessor Doolla has been relieved of his administrative responsibilities and sent on leave pending the inquiryEarlier today, National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) Chairman Kishor Makwana visited the IIT Bombay campus to conduct a spot inquiry into the circumstances leading to the student’s death.
Mid semester exams postponed to October
Amid protests over the alleged suicide of student Sahil Wakode, IIT Bombay has postponed the mid-semester examinations scheduled for September 26-27 to October 10-11, an official said on Thursday.
The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay has been at the center of a controversy for the last six days after 22-year-old Wakode, a second-year BTech student, was found hanging in his hostel room on September 18His parents alleged that he had faced caste-based discrimination and harassment.
Meanwhile, an email purportedly sent in 2024 by IIT Bombay professor Suryanarayana Doolla, then Dean of Student Affairs, has been circulating on social media.
In the email, professor Doolla cautioned students against asking fellow students about their admission categories, JEE (Advanced) ranks or GATE scores, saying such questions could reveal their caste or whether they belonged to a reserved category.
Professor Doolla, who has been named in the First Information Report (FIR) registered by police for alleged abetment to suicide on grounds of caste discrimination, was sent on leave earlier this week to facilitate an impartial probe into the case.
