Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Sep 30: The parents of IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode, who allegedly died by suicide, continued their hunger strike at Azad Maidan on Wednesday, demanding the arrest of institute professor Suryanarayana Doolla and director Shireesh Kedare.
The hunger strike entered its third day, with some members of the Mumbai Youth Congress and All India Students' Federation joining the protest. Holding photographs of Sahil, the protesters raised slogans demanding justice.
Sahil's father, Ravindra Wakode, declined to speak to the media. The family's lawyer said they had not received any response from the government regarding their demands.
Sahil, 22, a second-year student, was found hanging in his hostel room on the evening of September 18, hours after he was allegedly caught using his mobile phone to access ChatGPT during a mid-semester examination at IIT Bombay.
His parents have alleged that their son faced caste discrimination at the institute. They have demanded the arrest of Professor Doolla, who has been booked for alleged abetment to suicide, as well as IIT Bombay Director Kedare.
The family has said it will continue the protest until Sahil gets justice and those responsible are punished. Ravindra Wakode had earlier said, "Until both the professors are arrested, the hunger strike will continue."
According to the family's lawyer, Azad Maidan police granted permission for the protest, and the family would continue the agitation in accordance with the guidelines communicated by the police.
The Mumbai Police Crime Branch has been examining CCTV footage and other evidence to reconstruct the sequence of events on September 18. Investigators have also questioned students, faculty members and administrative staff to establish what happened after Sahil allegedly left the examination hall.
IIT Bombay had earlier constituted a 10-member committee to inquire into the circumstances surrounding Sahil's death. Students protesting on the campus have also raised concerns regarding student welfare and grievance-redressal mechanisms.
On Monday, Mumbai Congress chief Varsha Gaikwad met the Wakodes at Azad Maidan and extended support to the family. She said the deaths of Sahil and IIT Bombay student Darshan Solanki had raised concerns about student safety and accountability at the institute.