RAHUL GANDHI ASSURES SAHIL WAKODE’S PARENTS OF SUPPORT IN JUSTICE CAMPAIGN

September 24, 2026

MUMBAI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi spoke to the parents of deceased IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode and assured them of all possible help in their efforts to seek justice for their son.

Gandhi held a video call with Ravindra and Sonali Wakode while they were travelling from Washim district to Mumbai. The conversation lasted nearly 17 minutes. Indian Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib and Maharashtra unit chief Shivraj More were also present during the call.

Sahil Wakode, a second-year BTech student, was found dead in his hostel room on September 18, shortly after an incident during a mid-semester examination. His parents have alleged that he faced caste-based discrimination and harassment at IIT Bombay and have sought action against those they hold responsible. These allegations remain under investigation.

The Mumbai Police Crime Branch is investigating the case. Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who was named in an FIR alleging abetment to suicide on grounds of caste discrimination, has been sent on leave pending the investigation. IIT Bombay has also apologised for earlier statements about the circumstances preceding Sahil’s death, saying those details remain subject to investigation.

Sahil’s parents have announced an indefinite hunger strike outside the IIT Bombay gate, adding to demands for an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.