He Complained About Casteism, Harassment: IIT Bombay Student's Parents

Mumbai: IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode's parents on Tuesday claimed that he had told them that he was facing casteist slurs and humiliation at the institute.

Speaking to the media after visiting the Mumbai Police Crime Branch office, they demanded a thorough examination of all evidence and action against those found responsible for their son's alleged suicide.

"I have full faith in the Crime Branch and request that the investigation into my son Sahil's death be completed fairly, thoroughly, and strictly in accordance with the FIR. The allegations and circumstances recorded in the FIR must be properly investigated, and appropriate action should be taken against those found responsible," Sahil's mother Sonali Wakode said.

Sahil had told them that he was being tortured, abused, and humiliated on the basis of his caste, she claimed.

"He specifically told us that Professor Suryanarayana Doolla would say 'I am from an upper caste and you are from a lower caste.' According to what Sahil told us, this had been continuing for around three months," she claimed.

On September 13, when they met Sahil in his hostel room, he told them he was being tortured and subjected to abuse, Sonali Wakode said.

"We tried to give him moral support and advised him to focus on his studies because he had secured admission to IIT and had a bright future ahead. In hindsight, I feel that telling him to tolerate the situation was our mistake," she said.

She also objected to the Institute's initial claim that he had been allegedly caught using ChatGPT during an examination. Anyone making allegations of cheating must provide evidence, she said.

"I am also concerned by what appears to be a change in IIT Bombay's position or statements regarding these allegations. I request the authorities to examine this carefully and determine whether such allegations have any evidentiary basis or whether they are diverting attention from the issues raised in the FIR," she said.

Ravindra Wakode, Sahil's father, said the truth would come out only after the accused in the case were arrested.

"Sahil was a bright student. Cracking the JEE Advanced exam is not an ordinary achievement. Look at his All India rank," he said.

Sahil's parents also demanded immediate arrest of IIT Bombay Director Professor Shirish Kedare and Professor Doolla.

They have faith in the administration and the Constitution and believe that their son will get justice, the parents said.

Meanwhile, a senior Crime Branch official said the statements of Sahil's parents had been recorded. Statements of IIT Bombay officials, including Professor Doolla were yet to be recorded and they would be summoned for questioning soon, he said.

Sahil, a second-year B Tech student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, was found hanging in his hostel room on the Powai campus on September 18 evening, hours after being caught allegedly using a mobile phone to access ChatGPT during a mid-semester examination.