Mumbai: Suicide case of 18-yr-old IIT Bombay student transferred to SIT Crime Branch

The Maharashtra government has constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Mumbai police's Joint CP ( Crime) to probe the alleged suicide of an 18-year-old Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) student. Darshan Solanki, a resident of Gujarat's Ahmedabad, had allegedly committed suicide on February 12 by jumping off the seventh floor of the hostel building located on the campus, however his parents had alleged caste discrimination resulting to his death.

Darshan Solanki was a first-year student of B Tech (Chemical) course at the IITB and had committed suicide by jumping from the hostel room of IIT Bombay. After Solanki's death, his family had cited caste-based harassment as the reason for his suicide. They also alleged foul play in his death based on caste discrimination. 

Following these allegations, Gujarat Congress MLA and Dalit leader Jignesh Mevani had demanded a probe by the SIT into Solanki's death, terming the episode as "suspicious".

A senior Mumbai Police officer said that a SIT has been formed under the Joint Commissioner of Police (crime) Lakhmi Gautam. Along with DCP (detection) KK Upadhyay and ACP (Santacruz division) Chandrakant Bhosle, and more members may be added later. The officials of the team will revisit the case and record the statements of Solanki's parents, officials of the institute and students who were witnesses to the incident, he said.

"After the death of the youth, we had registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) and recorded the statements of various people including the IITB students, the teachers and staff of IITB and the parents of the deceased youth," said an official of the Powai police. 
 

"Going forward, a team of SIT has been formed for the probe and they will conduct the further investigation in the case," added the officer.