IIT-B prof to be summoned by police; Director signs 18-point charter amid students’ demands

IIT-B student death: The Mumbai Crime Branch is likely to summon professor at IIT Bombay, Suryanarayana Doolla, and others for questioning after taking over the investigation into the death by suicide of student Sahil Ravindra Wakode, officials said on Sunday. The professor, named as an accused in the case, will be questioned in the probe handled by the Assistant Commissioner of Police (Detection).

Wakode, a second-year BTech student in the Energy Science and Engineering department was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his room in Hostel Number 4 on the Powai campus on Friday evening. This occurred hours after he was allegedly caught using a mobile phone and ChatGPT during a mid-semester examination.

Meanwhile, late on Sunday, IIT Bombay director Prof Shireesh Kedare signed an 18-point charter submitted by protesting students after a prolonged meeting. The students, who had been holding a sit-in near the campus main gate for three days, demanded action against Professor Doolla, the invigilator during the examination attended by Wakode, as well as an independent investigation and wider changes to the institute's academic, disciplinary and student-welfare systems.

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The Powai police registered a First Information Report (FIR) on Saturday under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to abetment of suicide, and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. This was based on a complaint filed by Wakode's parents, who alleged institutional harassment and caste-based discrimination before his death. Protesting students said he faced severe pressure and threats of academic suspension. The case was transferred to the Crime Branch on Saturday night.

IIT Bombay stated that Wakode had allegedly uploaded the examination question paper to ChatGPT to seek answers during the exam, but no disciplinary action was taken against him. The instructor and the Head of the Department discussed the matter with him and counselled him, assuring that the incident would not affect his academic career.

He later returned to his hostel room and was found dead in the evening. The institute denied allegations of caste discrimination and said no complaint had been submitted by Wakode to the SC/ST cell or administration.

During the late-night meeting with protesters, when the demand for action against Doolla was raised, Kedare said the institute would "follow the process." An official later indicated the matter would be dealt with through due procedure and that signing the charter did not amount to an immediate decision on every demand.

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The development followed nearly three hours of discussions between protesting students and senior administration members. Videos circulated on social media claiming the director's resignation were not officially confirmed and their authenticity could not be verified.

The students' charter calls for an independent investigation into Wakode's death, with an interim report by September 30 and a final report by October 15. It also demanded an open house involving the director, the Dean of Student Affairs and other senior officials, and an apology over what students described as public "defamation" of Wakode. The charter states the director should resign if proposed reforms are not implemented within a month.

Several demands focus on wider institutional changes, including a code of conduct for professors, sensitisation of faculty and staff on mental health, improvements to in-person counselling, changes to the Disciplinary Action Committee process and greater student representation in decision-making. Students proposed a task force of students, faculty, mental health professionals and external experts to examine student distress and recommend preventive measures. They also sought improved mental health and medical services, including a 24-hour psychiatrist-on-call facility at the institute hospital, a written implementation plan by September 26 and assurance that no action will be taken against students peacefully protesting.