IIT-Bombay student suicide case: Institute apologises over earlier remarks; student affairs dean suspended

MUMBAI: IIT-Bombay placed Prof Suryanarayana Doolla on immediate suspension from his deanship, following continued students' protests on campus for the last three days. Prof Doolla was the dean of administrative affairs. He was accused of abetment of Sahil Wakode's death by suicide. Wakode's family also filed a case of harassment against him under the Atrocities Act. The institute issued a public apology on their social media handle, after students accused them of 'defaming' Wakode, without carrying out a detailed inquiry."We apologise for the statements contained in our earlier communication concerning the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate demise of Sahil," it said. "The details and circumstances leading up to the incident remain subject to investigation by the appropriate authorities. In view of the ongoing investigation, it was inappropriate to have set out or characterised details relating to the events preceding his demise before they had been duly established through the appropriate investigative process," the institute added. The administration also denied the allegations of the director's resignation, after videos of him from the protest went viral.In a mail sent to the campus residents, the institute director, Prof Shireesh Kedare, mentioned, 'the deanship of Prof Suryanarayan Doolla is suspended with immediate effect. Any further action will be taken after investigation'. Doolla has not been suspended from his professorship at the energy science and engineering department.A meeting of the institute's Board of Governors is underway.The students submitted a charter of 18 demands on Sunday night in a meeting with the director and the institute functionaries, which went on for three hours. The director signed the charter. Students pressed on the suspension of Prof Doolla and an apology along with 16 other demands.In the list of demands raised by the students' groups on the campus, the students have demanded an an independent investigation committee, with student representatives and external members recommended by students, suspension of officials who are found guilty after the investigation, a fair compensation for the families. Among the many demands, the students have also sought a code of conduct and sensitisation for professors.The director signed the list of demands on the live recording, though officials refused to comment. An open house with students is expected to be scheduled today.Protests erupted on the Powai campus on Friday night after Wakode, a second-year student of energy science and engineering, ended his life hours after he was caught using a mobile phone during the institute’s mid-semester examination. He allegedly uploaded the exam paper on an AI platform for answers. This is the third case of suicide on the campus this year.While the institute, in a statement, mentioned that no action was initiated against Wakode, many claimed that he was threatened with suspension.Also read: What are 18 demands of protesting students 'signed' by IIT Bombay directorGet the latest India News and Live updates. Download the TOI app.