SAHIL WAKODE’S PARENTS BEGIN HUNGER STRIKE AS IIT BOMBAY DEFERS EXAMS

September 25, 2026

MUMBAI: The parents of IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode began a hunger strike at Azad Maidan on Thursday, demanding action against those they allege were responsible for their son’s death. His father, Ravindra Wakode, has alleged that Sahil had repeatedly faced caste-based discrimination at the institute. The allegations are being investigated.

The 22-year-old second-year BTech student was found dead in his hostel room on September 18. Mumbai Police’s Crime Branch is investigating the case, while an FIR names professor Suryanarayana Doolla in connection with alleged abetment to suicide and caste-related allegations. Doolla has been sent on leave to facilitate the investigation.

Amid continuing protests, IIT Bombay has postponed its mid-semester examinations scheduled for September 26 and 27 to October 10 and 11. The institute has also apologised again for an earlier statement concerning the circumstances preceding Sahil’s death, saying those details remain subject to investigation and should not have been characterised before being established.

Sahil’s parents also met the chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes and submitted a memorandum seeking a speedy investigation. Police are examining evidence, including CCTV footage and electronic devices, as the inquiry continues.