25 September,2026 01:58 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Ramdas Athawale (in pic) said that he would approach Education Minister Pralhad Joshi over the issue. PIC/PTI
Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Friday demanded an independent investigation into the death of an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Bombay student, saying the probe should be conducted separately from the institute administration, news agency ANI reported.
He also said he would write to Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi and seek a meeting with him over the matter.
Athawale stated that he met the IIT-Bombay Director and other senior officials to discuss the case and put forward several demands, including action against then dean Prof Suryanarayana Doola, who had confiscated the student's mobile phone during an examination.
"At least four students have committed suicide here in the last two to three years. Out of those, three students were from the Scheduled Caste community. So I feel the question of whether discrimination is happening here was also raised by us before the Dean. Why are Scheduled Caste students committing suicide? Is there an attempt being made to humiliate them?" said the Union Minister.
He also stated that he would approach Joshi over the issue.
"I am also going to write a letter to Pralhad Joshi, our Minister, and will be meeting him as well. Why is this happening in an institution like IIT? Why are students committing suicide? Extremely bright students come here, securing their ranks among lakhs of candidates," Athawale said.
He stressed that students studying at an institution such as IIT-Bombay should not be subjected to circumstances that could push them towards suicide.
"We have demanded that Dean Doola, who confiscated Sahil's mobile phone at that time, should be immediately suspended. We have made this demand, and a full investigation should also be conducted independent of the IIT administration," Athawale said.
Speaking to reporters, Athawale stated that he had visited the student's hostel room and that it was locked while the police were investigating the matter.
According to Athawale, the student, who hailed from Yavatmal, had secured admission to IIT-Bombay after ranking around 631st among at least 1.5 million candidates. He said that during a semester examination on September 18, the dean raised an objection against the student, alleging that he was copying, and confiscated his mobile phone. The student died later that day.
"I believe there must be a thorough investigation into the suicide. Strict action must be taken against whoever is responsible, whether professors, the dean, or anyone else. We have demanded this, as this incident is extremely tragic and unacceptable at IIT," he added.
Athawale also said the student's parents had been seeking access to CCTV footage showing his movements before and after the examination.
"Regarding the CCTV footage, his father and mother are continuously demanding to see it, as it hasn't been shown to them. They have requested the police to show the CCTV footage from when Sahil left the hostel, took his exam, and returned..." he said.
The student, a second-year BTech student, died on the evening of September 18. His family has alleged harassment and caste-based discrimination, while the institute has maintained that the examination incident is being investigated.
(With ANI inputs)
