IIT-B student death: Sahil Wakode’s parents resume protest, demand immediate action

Ravindra Wakode (right) and Sonali Wakode hold sit-in protest on Monday. Pic/Ashish Raje

The parents of Sahil Wakode, the 20-year-old student at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay who allegedly died by suicide earlier this month, resumed their hunger strike at Azad Maidan on Monday.

Ravindra Wakode and Sonali Wakode began a sit-in protest, demanding action against those responsible for their son's death.

Sahil, a second-year BTech student, allegedly died by suicide on September 18 after he was allegedly caught cheating during the mid-semester examinations. The incident is being probed by the Crime Branch.

"We are not interfering with any processes of the Crime Branch, but as a parent we are looking for justice for our son and immediate arrests," said Ravindra Wakode while speaking to the media. Earlier, Sahil's family had staged a hunger strike at Azad Maidan on Thursday.

There was no response shared by IIT Bombay for the story by the press time.

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Letter of support

Meanwhile, a group of IIT Bombay alumni have written to the institute asking for sweeping reforms.

A total of 79 alumni from various batches signed the letter, asking for better mental health support for the students, better disciplinary action, and an impartial investigation into the matter. The letter, a copy of which is with mid-day, has also asked for the institute to extend support to the bereaved parents.

The letter has also sought counsellors from LGBTQ+ and SC/ST/OBC communities to ensure that students from marginalised backgrounds have access to support systems in which they feel safe and understood.

‘Our son isn't the first'

The parents of Sahil have once again asked for an inquiry into the CCTV footage of the mid-semester exams, alleging that the footage has also distorted the light in which people are viewing their son. "Cases of student deaths have been surfacing from this institute. Our son isn't the first," added the father. The IIT Bombay board earlier constituted a 10-member committee to inquire into the circumstances surrounding Sahil's death. In the FIR, filed on September 20, the parents have named professor Suryanarayana Doolla and IIT-B Director Shireesh Kedare, alleging caste discrimination and abetment to suicide.