IIT Bombay faculty booked for casteist slurs, abetting student suicide
What's the story
A faculty member of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has been booked for allegedly abusing a student of lower caste and abetting his suicide. The accused, Suryanarayan Dulla, is a member of the Energy Science department. The case came to light after student Sahil Wakode was found dead in his hostel room on Friday.
Complaint details
Wakode was harassed for 3 months
Wakode's father, Chakradhar Wakode, filed a complaint against Dulla alleging caste abuse and abetment to suicide. The complaint also named other unidentified senior officials.
According to Wankhade, his son was harassed with casteist slurs for three months under the direction of Director Shireesh B Kedare.
"Dulla told him that he was from a 'lower caste and he [Dulla] can harass him and implicate him in any false case.'" the FIR stated, as per The Hindu.
Investigation underway
Wakode was caught using mobile phone during exam
Wakode was found dead in his hostel room on Friday evening.
Earlier that day, he had allegedly been caught using a mobile phone during an exam and uploading the question paper to ChatGPT for answers.
However, IIT Bombay said no disciplinary action was taken against him. He was counseled and assured that the incident wouldn't affect his academic career negatively.
Student protests
Protests at IIT Bombay
The incident has sparked protests at IIT Bombay, with students demanding the resignation of Director Kedare.
The student was an international skating and badminton player who moved to Nagpur for JEE preparation after studying in Yavatmal till class 10.
The police are now probing the circumstances of Wakode's death.
This is not an isolated incident; it is the third suicide on campus in seven months. In February and July, two other second-year students died by suicide in their hostel rooms.
Helpline
Please seek help if you're having suicidal thoughts
If you or anyone you know is suffering from suicidal thoughts, you can reach out to AASRA for suicide prevention counseling. Its number is 022-27546669 (24 hours).
You can also dial Roshni NGO at +914066202000 or COOJ at +91-83222-52525.
Sneha India Foundation, which works 24x7, can be contacted at +91-44246-40050, while Vandrevala Foundation's helpline number is +91-99996-66555 (call and WhatsApp).