A second-year student of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B), Sahil Ravindra Wakode, was found dead in his hostel room on Friday, September 18, evening, hours after he was reportedly confronted over alleged misconduct during an examination. The death has set students against the IIT-B administration amid conflicting accounts of what happened in the exam hall and reopened questions about how one of India’s most prestigious institutions looks after its students.
This is the third death on the IIT-B’s Powai campus in seven months and it intensifies demands for accountability on student mental health.
Sahil Wakode, 22, an undergraduate in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, was from Yavatmal district in Maharashtra. He was found dead in his room at Hostel Number 4 on the Powai campus a few hours after sitting the examination. The incident happened on the fifth day of the third semester examination, which was being held between 5 PM and 7 PM. Police have begun an inquiry into the circumstances of his death.
The accounts diverge sharply on what happened in the exam hall, and neither has been independently verified. Students who spoke about the episode say Wakode was accused of looking at another candidate’s answer sheet, asked to leave the hall, and warned that he could face disciplinary consequences, including suspension.
Also WATCH VIDEO: How the Gurgaon hit-and-run incident unfolded: Woman’s bike is deliberately hit by car
The institute’s statement describes a different act. It says Wakode was found using a mobile phone during the exam to upload the questions to ChatGPT in search of answers. It also says no disciplinary proceedings were started against him. According to the administration, the course instructor and the head of the department met Wakode afterwards, counselled him, and told him the matter would not damage his academic career.
“No disciplinary action was initiated against the student. The matter was also discussed with the student by the instructor and the Head of the Department, who counselled him and assured him that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career,” said IIT-B in a statement. It said Wakode then returned to his hostel room and “later in the evening, he was found dead in his room”.
Also WATCH VIDEO: Indecent dance by young women at Ganesh Puja celebration in Bihar sparks outrage
Wakode’s mother has alleged foul play and says her son was subjected to serious harassment. She told reporters she wants justice and has filed a complaint. The complaint does not by itself establish any of these claims, and it will be for investigators to test them. But it means the case will be examined as more than a disciplinary matter gone wrong.
Late on Friday night, large groups of students gathered at the main gate of the campus, raising slogans and demanding an immediate meeting with the director. Their demands were transparency about what happened, accountability from those involved, and a stronger mental health support system.
Also read: Sanjukta Parasor is first woman IPS officer to head CRPF’s CoBRA unit
The protesting students pointed out that this is the third reported suicide on the campus in about seven months, and that several deaths have occurred within a single year. To many of them, Friday’s death looked like the latest in a series rather than an isolated event.
Dattatray Nalawade, a senior police officer, confirmed that an investigation is underway. Heavy security was deployed around the campus to keep order while students and administrators continued talking late into the night. The institute’s official release expressed deep sadness and said support was being extended to the student’s friends, faculty members and classmates.
Also read: Imran Khan is being “slowly killed” in Pakistan jail, say the ex-PM’s two sons
Several questions are still open. Investigators will need to establish exactly what was said to Wakode, by whom, and in whose presence after he left the hall. It is not yet known whether any written record of the incident exists, or whether the reassurance the institute says was given was also communicated in writing. The institute’s account speaks of counselling by the instructor and the department head. It does not say whether he was referred to professional counselling services, or whether anyone checked on him in the hours before his death.
(If anyone anywhere across India is experiencing depression or suicidal thoughts, they can contact the following helplines: Tele-MANAS – 14416; Sahaaya – 080 25497777 or 98864 44075.)
