&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "Sahil Wakode’s parents begin indefinite hunger strike in Mumbai, demand action in IIT Bombay death case")
Mumbai: The parents of IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode have begun an indefinite hunger strike in Mumbai, demanding arrests and a swift investigation into the circumstances surrounding their son’s death.
Ravindra and Sonali Wakode began their indefinite hunger strike at Azad Maidan on Thursday evening, after they were unable to hold the planned demonstration outside the IIT Bombay campus in Powai.
The couple is demanding immediate action against those named in the case and accountability for what the family alleges was caste-based discrimination and harassment faced by Sahil at the institute.
Sahil, a 22-year-old second-year BTech student, was found dead in his hostel room on September 18, hours after an incident during a mid-semester examination in which he was allegedly found using a mobile phone.
His father has alleged that Sahil had repeatedly spoken to the family about caste discrimination at IIT Bombay. The family has sought the arrest of Professor Suryanarayana Doolla and IIT Bombay Director Shireesh Kedare, among others, and has called for a thorough probe.
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The Mumbai Crime Branch is investigating Sahil’s death. Investigators are examining the sequence of events surrounding the examination, Sahil’s movements afterwards and allegations levelled by his family.
The case has also come under renewed scrutiny after CCTV footage from the examination hall surfaced. The footage shows Sahil looking towards a phone before an invigilator approaches him and subsequently escorts him out of the examination hall.
The circumstances following his removal from the examination hall are part of the ongoing investigation.
On Thursday, Sahil’s parents also met Kishor Makwana, chairperson of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, and submitted a memorandum seeking a speedy investigation.
The possibility of further central-level intervention was also discussed during the meeting, although no decision to transfer the investigation was announced.
The family’s protest follows a tense sequence of events. Sahil’s parents had planned to protest outside IIT Bombay, but police directed them to Azad Maidan, where permission was granted for the demonstration.
The family had also alleged that they were taken out of Mumbai against their wishes on Wednesday, a claim disputed by police.
The developments have added to growing pressure on IIT Bombay, where students and other groups have held protests following Sahil’s death.
The institute has also faced questions over its handling of the examination incident and the subsequent events.
The allegations made by Sahil’s family remain under investigation. The Crime Branch probe is expected to establish the sequence of events and determine whether anyone can be held criminally responsible for his death.
Ravindra and Sonali Wakode have said they will continue their indefinite hunger strike until their demands are addressed.
