IIT Bombay student death case: Police invoke SC/ST Act as protests rage on

Amid a day filled with protests and chaos after the alleged suicide of a 19yearold IIT Bombay student Mumbai Police have invoked provisions of the SCST Prevention of Atrocities Act in the FIR following allegations of castebased discrimination raised by the studentrsquos familyPowai police have also registered a case of abetment of suicide Police officials said the FIR was registered on Saturday following a complaint by the studentrsquos father who has accused that his son faced castebased discrimination at the institute Police said a case has been registered against those named and their alleged roles are being investigatedThe death occurred late on Friday Protests held by students alleging caste discrimination carried over to Saturday Speaking to Sunday midday the griefstricken mother of the student could only say ldquoMy son was tortured I want justice We have complained to the policerdquoIITB students have alleged that this is the fourth death at the institute in this year aloneIn a video posted on the Instagram page chain_mera_fail_hai the studentrsquos father is seen giving interviews to media persons in Marathi ldquoUntil we receive justice for our son we will not move from here even if it means that our body will have to be taken outrdquo said the parents who were camped outside the campus ldquoHe was our only son we are people who have come up from poverty and our son was not the kind who would commit suiciderdquo added the fatherThey refused to leave the institutes gate on Saturday morning Police personnel took them to Powai police station where they registered the FIR and the parents made preliminary statements However their extensive statements are yet to be recorded officials confirmedWhat students are sayingWhile students made a multitude of demands sources inform that the students tried to consolidate their asks ldquoThe protests will be continuing as of now We have asked for changes in the policylevel decisions and better handling of students open dialogue some have even asked for resignationsrdquo said a campus residentOne student who was part of the protest said of the deceased student ldquoHe was a strongwilled boy Hersquos not somebody who would give up so easily So this incident is truly shockingrdquoThe deceased a student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering was reportedly found using a mobile phone during an examination on Friday According to IITB he had uploaded the question paper on ChatGPT to seek answers The exam was scheduled until 4 pm following which the student returned to his hostel room Later that evening he was found dead in his room Police subsequently began an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death and the body was sent for postmortem examinationThe police case was registered amid protests by students on the IIT Bombay campus Students questioned the institutersquos handling of the examination incident and demanded an independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death They also raised concerns over mental health support disciplinary procedures and student welfare The midsemester examinations scheduled for Saturday were postponed following the protests More than 400 students had gathered on campus during the initial protest on FridayPolice sources told this paper that the studentrsquos family has alleged that he faced castebased discrimination and what they described as institutional torture The allegations are now part of the wider concerns raised by the family However IIT Bombayrsquos SCST Students and Staff Cell has said that no complaint relating to castebased discrimination was lodged by the student with themWith the abetment case now registered police are examining the events surrounding the examination incident the interactions with the student afterwards and the allegations made by the family The role if any of those named in the complaint will be established during the investigationNo complaint SCST CellThe SCST Students and Staff Cell affirms that no complaint relating to castebased discrimination was lodged by the deceased with the Cell The Cell remains committed to the welfare and wellbeing of SCST students and staff and will appropriately address any matter relating to castebased discrimination that is brought to its attention it statedNo disciplinary actionlsquoThe institute expresses its deep and heartfelt condolences to the studentrsquos family kith and kin No disciplinary action had been initiated against the student The matter was discussed with him by the instructor and Head of Department who counselled him and assured him that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career The institute has maintained that the circumstances surrounding the death are being looked into by the appropriate authoritiesrsquoPeriyar Circle saysThe Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle APPSC of IIT Bombay on their Instagram handle said Several media reports have alleged that the student was apprehended for using a mobile phone and ChatGPT to upload the question Paper The exact act of this is not yet fully known Hence hasty narratives serve only to misrepresent the circumstances and diminish the severity of the institutional failures that led to this tragedyProtests continueThe protests at the Indian Institute of Bombay continued into the second day on Saturday ldquoWe held a candle march for the deceased student and the protest kept going throughout the day We plan to protest tomorrow Sunday as well and even on Monday depending on the communication we receive from the officialsrdquo said a thirdyear BTech student on the condition of anonymity