IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode death sparks caste discrimination protest
The passing of Sahil Wakode, a second-year BTech student at IIT Bombay, has sparked a protest on campus.
Sahil's family says he faced institutional harassment and caste-based discrimination on campus before his death in his hostel room on Friday last, after being accused of using a phone during an exam.
They've filed a case under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
IIT Bombay students demand independent probe
Students are demanding an independent probe into campus suicides and better mental health support.
IIT Bombay has apologized for its initial response and is working through 18 student demands, including ensuring student representation in academic committees and mental health workshops for professors.
Meanwhile, Sahil's friend says he never saw signs of distress or discrimination, while the faculty forum supports exam invigilator Suryanarayana Doolla, who has since been removed as dean of students welfare, saying he was following institutional protocol after discovering the student was in "unauthorized possession and use of a smartphone."
The situation remains tense as calls for accountability continue.