The Mumbai Crime Branch has recorded statements of 20 people in connection with the suicide of an IIT Bombay student, officials said, as investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding the death and reports of alleged caste-based harassment.
Investigations under way, mobile phone locked
The statements recorded include those of students who were present in the examination hall on the day in question, teachers who were supervising the examination, and hostel staff members, according to sources. The police investigation is probing calls made to and from the deceased student's mobile phone but progress has been hampered because the device is secured with a pattern lock.
Investigators said notifications of several missed calls were visible on the phone's display, but the pattern lock has so far prevented access to call logs and other data. The Crime Branch continues to pursue technical and legal avenues to retrieve information from the device.
NCSC conducts spot inquiry amid caste-discrimination allegations
The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) chairman, Kishor Makwana, carried out a spot inquiry at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay on Thursday in connection with the death of the student, who belonged to the Scheduled Caste community.
The NCSC inquiry follows serious allegations made by the student's family regarding caste-based discrimination, harassment and the events preceding the death. The commission's examination is separate from, and runs alongside, the Mumbai Police Crime Branch investigation.
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has issued a formal apology regarding statements it had made in an earlier communication about the circumstances surrounding the student's death.
Key persons and status of statements
While statements from a number of students, teachers and hostel staff have been recorded, the statement of Professor Suryanarayana Doolla has not yet been taken, sources said. The Crime Branch has yet to provide a timeline for when that statement will be recorded.
- Number of statements recorded: 20 (students, examination invigilators, hostel staff)
- Device status: Deceased's mobile phone secured with a pattern lock; missed-call notifications visible
- NCSC action: Spot inquiry by chairman Kishor Makwana into alleged caste-based discrimination
- Pending statement: Professor Suryanarayana Doolla
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date of death | 18 September (student died by suicide) |
| Victim | Sahil Ravindra Wakode, 20-year-old, second-year B.Tech student, Scheduled Caste |
| Investigating agency | Mumbai Police Crime Branch |
| Regulatory oversight | National Commission for Scheduled Castes (spot inquiry conducted) |
The student, identified in police records as Sahil Ravindra Wakode, was a second-year BTech student at IIT Bombay. He died by suicide on September 18. The Crime Branch initiated its probe following the incident and is examining available forensic, electronic and testimonial evidence.
Officials emphasised that the NCSC inquiry was prompted by a complaint filed by the family alleging caste-based discrimination and harassment prior to the death. The commission's inquiry aims to establish whether institutional or interpersonal discrimination contributed to the circumstances that led to the student's death.
Police investigators are continuing to compile witness statements and pursue digital data recovery from the locked mobile phone. They have not disclosed details of any further forensic steps planned or the content of witness statements. The institute's apology relates to an earlier communication on the incident and is likely to form part of the documentary record reviewed by investigators and the commission.
The matter remains under active investigation by the Mumbai Crime Branch and the NCSC. Authorities have not publicly charged any individual in connection with the death as enquiries continue.
The inquiry was initiated against the backdrop of serious allegations raised by the student's family regarding caste-based discrimination, harassment, and the circumstances preceding his death, according to the NCSC initiative.
Further updates are expected as the Crime Branch completes additional statements and technical efforts to access the mobile phone data proceed.
