Mumbai
oi-Swastika Sruti
The parents of IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode staged a protest at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan on Thursday, demanding the immediate arrest of a faculty member and a faster investigation into their son’s death.
IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode’s parents protested in Mumbai, demanding Professor Doolla’s arrest and a swift investigation into their son’s September 18 death, with Mumbai Police and the institution conducting parallel inquiries.
Sahil’s father, Ravindra Wakode, and mother, Sonali Wakode, joined the sit-in seeking justice for their son. The family said they want strict action against the professor they have named in connection with the case.
Parents Demand Professor’s Arrest
Talking to the media at the protest, Ravindra Wakode particularly insisted that the professor be arrested. However, at the same time, the family assured that they were not disputing the investigation carried out by the police.
“We demand arrest of Prof Doolla. We are not disputing the investigation,” said Ravindra Wakode.
VIDEO | Mumbai, Maharashtra: Parents of deceased IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode continue their hunger strike at Azad Maidan.
(Full video available on PTI Videos – https://t.co/d8jp61yd2p) pic.twitter.com/sKsh14hR92
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 24, 2026
Further, he talked about his son’s scholastic performance and participation in student organizations, emphasizing that his son was an intelligent student heading a group of nearly 50 students in the field of AI and robotics.
“Ask anyone. They would tell you what a human being Sahil was. He used to head a group of 50 students in the field of AI and robotics. Can a meritorious student like him commit such an act? Investigation must be done at a much faster pace,” his father said.
What Happened Inside The Examination Hall?
Second-year BTech student of IIT Bombay Sahil Wakode passed away on September 18. The details of how the student died are under investigation by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch.
Based on the information provided by the Crime Branch, there is CCTV footage which shows Sahil present inside the examination hall from about 12:30 pm to 12:45 pm on September 18.
The police have said that while there were still about 15 minutes left for the examination, Sahil could be seen bending and observing something in his pocket. The student was later taken out of the examination by a professor, say the police.
Leaving the examination hall, Sahil went about the campus until he reached his hostel room by about 1:25 pm, says the Crime Branch. It has been said by the police that he did not leave the room thereafter.
Crime Branch Leads Probe
The case is being investigated by an ACP rank officer under the guidance of the DCP Detection-I, Mumbai Crime Branch.
Police have asked people not to speculate during the investigation process and have warned that conclusions should not be drawn until the investigation process is over.
The Crime Branch is investigating the chain of events from the footage available which led to the death of Sahil.
IIT Bombay Forms 10-Member Committee
There is a ten member committee formed by IIT Bombay to investigate the death of Sahil.
Within the institution’s inquiry, Prof Doolla has been stripped of his administrative duties.
In the internal committee of the institute, the incident will be investigated independently of the police investigation.
NCSC Chairman Visits IIT Bombay
The case has also attracted the attention of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC). NCSC Chairperson Kishor Makwana arrived at IIT Bombay on Thursday to make a spot inquiry regarding the conditions under which Sahil died.
As the family of Sahil continues to ask for immediate measures to be taken by them in relation to the death of Sahil, the Mumbai Crime Branch has already begun investigating his death.
An inquiry had been started at IIT Bombay regarding the death of Sahil.
