IIT Bombay professor Suryanarayana Doolla sent on leave amid Sahil Wakode death probe

Mumbai: IIT Bombay professor Suryanarayana Doolla has been asked to proceed on leave as the institute steps up its internal inquiry into the death of 20-year-old BTech student Sahil Wakode. The decision comes as the Mumbai Crime Branch continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding Wakode’s death and the allegations levelled against Doolla by the student’s family.

IIT Bombay’s Board of Governors has also constituted a 10-member high-level committee to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident. The panel has been asked to submit its findings within a week. The committee is headed by Professor Ramesh Venkateswaran, chairman of the Board of Governors at IIT Palakkad. Its members include faculty representatives, students, an administrator, a former vigilance officer and a psychiatrist.

Doolla had earlier been removed as dean

The latest decision comes two days after IIT Bombay temporarily relieved Doolla of his administrative responsibilities as Dean of Administrative Affairs. At that stage, the professor continued to remain a faculty member in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering.

The decision to now send him on leave places him away from his regular academic responsibilities while the investigations continue. The institute has not treated the decision as a finding of guilt. The circumstances surrounding Wakode’s death remain under investigation.

What happened on September 18?

Wakode died by suicide on September 18 after an examination at the Powai campus.

The Mumbai Crime Branch is reconstructing the events of that day, including what happened inside the examination hall shortly before the student left.

Investigators have taken possession of relevant CCTV footage from the campus. According to details emerging from the police investigation, footage from around 12:30 pm to 12:45 pm shows Wakode inside the examination hall shortly before the scheduled end of the paper.

Police are examining an interaction between Wakode and Doolla during this period. Investigators are also recording statements from students who were present in the examination hall to establish what was said and what happened immediately afterwards.

The police are separately examining CCTV footage to reconstruct Wakode’s movements after he left the examination hall. Investigators have reportedly found footage showing him returning to his hostel room at around 1:25 pm.

The CCTV footage itself has not been publicly released by the police.

Crime Branch examines wider circumstances

The Crime Branch investigation is not limited to the examination incident.

Investigators are examining Wakode’s mobile phone and other digital evidence as they reconstruct his movements and interactions on the day of his death.

Police are also examining the institute’s procedures for handling alleged academic misconduct during examinations and whether the actions taken on September 18 were consistent with those procedures.

Doolla is expected to be questioned as part of the investigation.

Family makes allegations against professor

Wakode’s family has accused Doolla and other institute officials of harassment and alleged caste-based discrimination against the student.

An FIR was registered following the family’s complaint, including allegations of abetment to suicide and provisions under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

These allegations have not been established and remain part of the investigation.

Doolla has maintained that he was carrying out his responsibilities as an examination invigilator. Faculty members at IIT Bombay have also called for due process and a fair investigation.

Father threatens hunger strike

Meanwhile, Sahil Wakode’s father, Ravindra Wakode, has threatened to go on a hunger strike, demanding action against the officials named in his complaint.

Ravindra travelled to Mumbai and met officials from the Mumbai Crime Branch. He has said he would begin the hunger strike if action, including arrests, is not taken against those he has accused.

The family’s demands come as the Crime Branch continues to examine the evidence and record statements in the case.

Campus protests and institutional response

Wakode’s death triggered protests on the IIT Bombay campus, with students demanding greater transparency, accountability and an independent examination of the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Students have also raised broader concerns regarding institutional procedures, student welfare and grievance redressal mechanisms.

IIT Bombay had earlier apologised for its initial communication about the circumstances preceding Wakode’s death, saying that those details remained subject to investigation and should not have been characterised before the facts were established.

The institute has since announced measures aimed at addressing concerns raised by students.

Two investigations underway

The case is now being examined on two parallel tracks.

The Mumbai Crime Branch is investigating the death, the allegations made against institute officials and the sequence of events leading up to Wakode’s death.

Separately, the 10-member IIT Bombay committee will examine the institutional circumstances surrounding the incident and submit its report within a week.

With Doolla now on leave, the internal inquiry underway and the family demanding further action, the findings of the two investigations are expected to provide clarity on the events surrounding Wakode’s death and whether any individual or institutional responsibility emerges from the evidence.