‘They finished my son’: Father of IIT Bombay student who died by suicide - The Indian Express

The grieving father of Sahil Wakode – the 20-year-old B.Tech IIT Bombay student who died by suicide last week, hours after he was allegedly found using ChatGPT in an examination hall – has accused the institution of having ‘finished’ his son.

“He was our only son. We had reached this stage after a lot of struggle and now they finished my son. The staff harassed him using casteism. I want justice,” Ravindra Wakode was quoted by news agency PTI.

A second-year student at the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, IIT Bombay claimed that Sahil Wakode had ‘uploaded the exam question paper on ChatGPT to seek answers’ during the test on Friday.

The institution said ‘no disciplinary action’ had been initiated against Wakode and that he received counselling. “… matter was also discussed with the student by the Head of the Department, who assured him the incident would not adversely affect his academic career.” Sahil Wakode, however, was found dead in his hostel room later that day.

And as word of his death spread on campus, more than 400 students gathered near the main building of the institute and raised slogans against the administration. The protest is in its third day now and, not unexpectedly, has turned political, with members from the Congress’ youth wing joining the student-led agitations.

The principal target of their anger – Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who was overseeing the examination in question. Protesting students have demanded Doolla be suspended – with immediate effect – from his professorship.

Thus far, however, IIT Bombay has only removed Doolla from his post as Dean (Administrative Affairs).

The police, meanwhile, have filed a case naming Doolla after Sahil Wakode’s parents filed a complaint; they have claimed their son was a victim of caste-based discrimination by the professor.

Ravindra Wakode claimed Doolla had mocked, tortured, and discriminated against his son on the basis of his caste.

Doolla faces charges under the SC/ST Act, as well that of abetment to suicide.

However, the IIT Bombay faculty has come out in support of Professor Suryanarayana Doolla.

In a statement issued Monday evening, the Faculty Forum of IIT Bombay said it was ‘distressed by the vilification of our colleague’s reputation by false and misleading reports that have appeared in the media’.

The suspension of Doolla was among 18 demands submitted by the students, who have also criticised the administration for revealing details from Wakode’s disciplinary committee hearing; i.e., he was allegedly caught using ChatGPT.

Throwing accusations against a student unable to defend himself amounts to defamation, one student raged.

In response to students’ anger on this issue, IIT Bombay issued an apology; on X it said: “The circumstances leading up to the incident remain subject to 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.”

We apologise for the statements contained in our earlier communication concerning the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate demise of Sahil.

The details and circumstances leading up to the incident remain subject to investigation by the appropriate authorities. In view of…

On Sahil Wakode’s death, IIT Bombay said it had been left ‘deeply saddened by the loss of a student’.