IIT Bombay student death: CCTV footage becomes key evidence as police reconstruct Sahil Wakode's final hours
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "IIT Bombay student death: CCTV footage becomes key evidence as police reconstruct Sahil Wakode's final hours")
IIT Bombay student death: Crime Branch examines CCTV footage from exam hall to hostel Photograph: (Pinterest)
CCTV footage is now at the centre of the probe into IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode’s death. The Mumbai Crime Branch is examining his movements from the examination hall to his hostel as investigators piece together what happened before his death.
CCTV footage has emerged in the death of an IIT Bombay student, Sahil Wakode. The Mumbai Police Crime Branch is examining the footage as part of its investigation into the death of second-year BTech student Sahil Ravindra Wakode.
The footage is being reviewed to establish a timeline of Sahil’s movements on September 18, from the examination hall to his hostel room. Police have not released the CCTV video itself. Only details of what the footage reportedly shows have emerged.
According to reports, cameras captured Sahil’s movements in the examination hall between 12:30 pm and 12:45 pm. He was later seen leaving the hall and walking across the IIT Bombay campus before entering his hostel room at about 1:25 pm. After that, the student did not leave his room, suggest reports.
The Crime Branch is now trying to piece together the sequence by examining footage from the examination hall, campus and hostel.
Professor may be questioned
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The Crime Branch is also expected to question a professor and others as part of the investigation.
Sahil’s family has alleged institutional harassment and caste-based discrimination, claims that have led to protests on the IIT Bombay campus. His parents have also filed a case under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to abetment of suicide, along with provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
The professor named in the case has also become the focus of a separate dispute on campus. Student representatives have stressed that they are not presuming his guilt and have called for the investigation to proceed fairly and impartially.
IIT Bombay retracts ChatGPT cheating allegation
IIT Bombay had initially said that Sahil was found using a mobile phone during an examination and had uploaded the question paper to ChatGPT. The institute also said no disciplinary action had been initiated against him and that he had spoken with the instructor, faculty adviser and Head of Department, who counselled him and assured him that the incident would not affect his academic career.
The institute later apologised for those statements and said the details surrounding the events before Sahil’s death remained under investigation. “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,” IIT Bombay said on X.
Students seek reforms
Sahil’s death has triggered a wider student protest over what students describe as systemic concerns at the institute.
Student representatives said their protest was not intended to justify cheating or academic misconduct. They said they had submitted a set of demands to the IIT Bombay administration and that the director had acknowledged them and agreed to work towards their implementation.
The students have also asked that the investigation remain independent and said the issue should continue to be addressed within the student community rather than become a platform for outside political organisations or narratives.
Meanwhile, IIT Bombay’s Faculty Forum has held a march in support of Professor Suryanarayana Doolla. The forum said he was performing his examination duties according to the institute’s approved procedures and has called for a fair investigation.
Student's family seeks CBI probe
Sahil’s family has sought a thorough inquiry, including a CBI probe, and has asked for access to CCTV footage and other evidence. Mumbai Police has transferred the case to the Crime Branch.
