IIT Bombay Student Suicide: Sahil Wakode's Parents Blame Institute, Allege Torture; 'He Was Our Only Child,' Says Devastated Couple
The mother of IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode, who was found dead in his hostel room, reportedly alleged that he had been tortured and blamed the institute for his death. Wakode had been caught using ChatGPT during an exam hours earlier. IIT Bombay said no disciplinary action was initiated, and he was counselled that the incident would not affect his academic career.
Mumbai: Following the death of second-year IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode, his mother on Saturday approached the police station over her son’s death and allegedly told media reporters that he was tortured, which eventually led him to take the drastic step of ending his life.
Speaking to reporters, the parents of the deceased reportedly said, “He was our only child. We will sit here till we get justice. He was really hardworking and had immense grit; he was not someone who could attempt suicide. We blame the institution for his death.”
Student found dead in hostel
According to reports from the Powai police and the institute, the student at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay allegedly died by suicide in his hostel room on Friday evening, hours after he was caught using a mobile phone during an examination.
The student has reportedly been identified as Sahil Wakode. He was a student of the Department of Energy Science and Engineering and was found hanging in his fourth-floor room at Hostel No. 4 on the Powai campus.
The police officials have also confirmed that no suicide note was recovered from the room. The officers have further stated that Wakode had been appearing for an examination earlier in the day when an examiner found him using a mobile phone. He subsequently left the examination hall and returned to his hostel.
Institute issues statement
Meanwhile, the institute, issuing its statement, stated that the student had been found using a mobile phone during an examination earlier in the day. The institute said he had uploaded the examination question paper on ChatGPT to seek answers. However, IIT Bombay clarified that no disciplinary action had been initiated against him.
“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,” the institute said.
Friends find student dead
The student subsequently returned to his hostel room. According to police, his friends became concerned after he failed to respond to their calls. They went to his room and, after finding the door locked from inside, broke it open and found him dead.
However, the tragic incident has triggered a wave of anger among the students on the campus, subsequently leading to protests seeking answers from the administration. Moreover, they are also demanding the resignation of the examination in-charge, the institute director and faculty members of the Energy Science and Engineering department.
Police begin investigation
Following the shocking incident, Powai police have registered an accidental death report and begun an investigation. The student's parents are likely to approach cops to file an FIR into the matter. As part of the investigation, the police have also seized the student’s mobile phone to retrieve data and collected CCTV footage from the campus to trace his movements before the incident.
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