IIT Bombay Student Protest News: Suicide, Caste Abuse Allegations

What triggered the protests at IIT Bombay

Students at the Powai campus of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay protested on September 19, 2026, after 22-year-old Sahil Wakode, a second-year BTech Energy Science student, was found dead in his hostel room on September 18 [1]. Police personnel were deployed as students demonstrated, and the demonstration became a top search trend in India under terms such as “iit bombay student protest news” [3]. Google Trends measures search interest only; it does not verify the underlying claims [3].

The student’s death and the institute’s initial statement

IIT Bombay said in an initial condolence statement that Sahil died by suicide after he was allegedly caught using a mobile phone during a third-semester examination. The institute stated that he had uploaded the examination question paper on ChatGPT to seek answers, and that a faculty member reportedly threatened him with debarment [1]. Sahil left the examination hall and was later found dead in his room in Hostel Number 4 [1]. This remains an institute statement, not a police conclusion.

Police case: caste abuse and abetment to suicide

Mumbai Police booked faculty member Suryanarayana Doolla on September 19, 2026, a day after the death, on charges including caste abuse and abetment to suicide under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act [1]. The first information report was filed on a complaint from the student’s father, Chakradhar Wakode [1].

The father’s complaint alleges that, for three months, Doolla abused Sahil using caste terms and told him he was from a “lower caste” who could be harassed or implicated in false cases. It further alleges this occurred on the instructions of IIT Bombay Director Shri Shireesh B. Kedare and mentions “other senior officers” [1]. These are allegations recorded in an FIR and have not been proved in court.

Campus protests and student demands

Protesters demanded the resignation of the IIT Bombay Director and described a high-stress environment on campus. A student quoted in The Hindu said this was the second suicide in Hostel Number 4 in recent months [1]. The police are investigating the circumstances surrounding Sahil’s death [1].

What remains unclear and how readers can verify

• Confirm the current legal status of the FIR against Suryanarayana Doolla through Mumbai Police or court records.
• Check whether IIT Bombay’s Director has issued a formal response to the specific allegation of directing caste abuse.
• Treat the institute’s claim about ChatGPT use during the exam as an initial statement, not an established fact.

IIT Bombay’s official website carries admissions and campus announcements, but the supplied material does not include an institute statement on this incident [2]. Because this was reported in September 2026, readers should not treat it as breaking news in October 2026.

If you or someone you know is struggling, help is available through the State’s health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416, and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050 [1].