IIT Bombay faculty support Professor Dulla following student's suicide

The IIT Bombay institute immediately suspended Professor Suryanarayana Dulla, the Dean of Student Affairs, on Monday after 20-year-old undergraduate student Sahil Wakode died by suicide.

This suspension occurred amid protests from students who demanded action regarding the circumstances of Sahil's death. Kedare stated that 'Professor Suryanarayana Dulla, Dean of Student Affairs, is suspended with immediate effect. Any further action will be taken after an investigation is conducted.'

Students and Sahil's family accused Dulla of harassment and incitement related to the student's death. Nevertheless, he will continue to work as a professor and head of the Department of Energy Science and Engineering.

The institute also issued an apology for statements made in a previous communication regarding the circumstances of Sahil's death. The statement read: 'We apologize for the statements contained in our previous communication regarding the circumstances of Sahil's unfortunate death. Details and circumstances preceding the incident remain subject to investigation by the relevant authorities. Given the ongoing investigation, it was inappropriate to present or characterize details of events preceding his death before they were properly established through due process.'

Sahil Wakode, a 20-year-old undergraduate student in the second year of the 'Science and Engineering in Energy' specialization at IIT Bombay, was found dead in his hostel room on Friday, several hours after allegedly being caught using a mobile phone during the institute's midterm examination. It is reported that he uploaded exam material to an artificial intelligence platform to search for answers.

This case is the third recorded suicide on the IIT Bombay campus this year and has sparked student protests over the circumstances of Sahil's death and how the institute handled the situation.

Sahil's parents and several students claimed he was removed from the exam hall and threatened with suspension. However, IIT Bombay insisted that no disciplinary action was taken against him, and he was provided with counseling and assurances that the incident would not affect his academic career.

Among the main demands of the students was the suspension of Professor Suryanarayana Dulla, Sahil's lecturer and exam invigilator. Sahil's family filed a police complaint against Dulla and 'other institute officials,' accusing them of instigation and harassment over the three months leading up to this.

Protesters also demanded a public apology for what they called 'slander' against Sahil, and requested an open meeting with all stakeholders before September 22nd. Their demands included the establishment of an independent investigative committee composed of student representatives and external members nominated by them. Furthermore, they sought the suspension of responsible officials following the investigation, fair compensation for Sahil's family, and the development of a code of conduct and awareness programs for professors.

Amidst the concern surrounding the death of student Sahil, the IIT Bombay institute publicly apologized on social media for its previous statements. The institution admitted that it was irresponsible and inappropriate to comment on the circumstances or causes of the incident before the police investigation was complete.

Furthermore, according to available information, the institute has met several demands from students. A decision was made to suspend the activities of the professor involved in the case.

IIT Bombay News:

The recent sudden death of student Sahil on the IIT Bombay campus shocked the entire community. Immediately after the incident, the IIT administration released a statement mentioning certain circumstances related to the incident that had not been officially proven.

Questions began to arise regarding this stance of the institute and the hastily made statement while the investigation was ongoing. As a result, the administration found itself in a defensive position and was forced to issue a public apology on X (Twitter).

What was in IIT Bombay's apology?

Posting on the official IIT Bombay account on X, the institute wrote: 'We apologize for the statements made in our previous post regarding the circumstances of Sahil's tragic death.' The administration acknowledged its mistake and added that the details and circumstances leading to this case are currently under investigation by the relevant authorities. They emphasized that it was inappropriate to provide or determine the details of the events before establishing the facts within due investigative procedure, given the ongoing investigation.

Why is this U-turn so important?

After such an unpleasant incident on any campus, the truth is established only through forensic examination and official investigation. Any statement by the institute before receiving a report can influence the direction of the investigation.

Action taken against the professor

While IIT Bombay was forced to publicly apologize for its initial statements regarding the death of student Sahil, the administration also took decisive steps amid growing dissatisfaction and protests on campus. Following disputes and questions on social media related to the case, administrative action was taken against the professor from the relevant department. Students claimed that the situation escalated due to administrative negligence and indifference, after which the institute stated its confidence in an impartial investigation and took these measures.

The institute also officially denied rumors circulating on social media amidst campus unrest and protests that the Director of IIT Bombay had resigned. The institute issued a statement clearly stating that the Director of IIT Bombay had not resigned, and that such reports were completely false.

It should be noted that following Sahil's suicide, students have been holding demonstrations on campus, demanding the resignation of the director along with their '18-point charter'. Local police and investigative agencies are currently conducting a thorough investigation into all aspects of the case. The true cause of Sahil's death will only become clear after the release of the official investigation report.