IIT Bombay Student Death Case: What Happened to Sahil Wakode?The Incident That Shocked IIT Bombay
A serious incident at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay has raised questions about academic pressure, disciplinary procedures, student welfare and allegations of caste-based harassment.
Sahil Ravindra Wakode, a second-year B.Tech student in the Energy Science and Engineering Department, was found dead in his hostel room on the IIT Bombay campus on the evening of September 18, 2026.
Reports differ on Sahil's age, with some publications describing him as 19, while several reports identify him as 20 or 22. For this reason, this article avoids relying on a specific age unless officially confirmed.
The death occurred only hours after an examination-related incident in which IIT Bombay said Sahil was found using a mobile phone during an examination and had uploaded the examination paper to ChatGPT to seek answers.
The institute has said that no disciplinary action had been initiated against him and that the instructor and Head of Department counselled him and assured him that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career.
However, students and Sahil's parents have presented a different account, alleging that he faced serious pressure and harassment.
That difference in accounts is now at the centre of the police investigation.
What Happened on September 18?
According to IIT Bombay's official account reported by multiple news organisations, Sahil was appearing for an examination on Friday.
During the examination, he was found using a mobile phone.
The institute said that Sahil had uploaded the examination question paper to ChatGPT in an attempt to obtain answers.
Following the incident, he was spoken to by the instructor and the Head of the Department.
According to IIT Bombay, the student was counselled and assured that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career.
The institute has specifically maintained that no disciplinary action had been initiated against him at that point.
Sahil subsequently returned to his hostel.
Later that evening, hostel mates reportedly found that he was not responding from his room and alerted the authorities.
Police were informed and his death was discovered.
A suicide note was reportedly not recovered, according to police reports. His body was sent for post-mortem examination.
Why Did the Incident Become a Major Campus Issue?
The death quickly led to protests by IIT Bombay students.
Students questioned the circumstances surrounding Sahil's interaction with faculty after the examination and demanded greater transparency in the investigation.
Some students alleged that Sahil had been threatened with suspension or other severe academic consequences.
These allegations conflict with the institute's official position that no disciplinary action had been initiated and that Sahil had been counselled and reassured about his academic future.
The disagreement over what exactly happened between the examination and Sahil's death has therefore become a central issue.
Parents' Allegations
Sahil's parents travelled from Yavatmal to Mumbai after learning about their son's death.
His mother publicly alleged that her son had been subjected to harassment and described the situation as torture.
The family has also alleged caste-based discrimination.
His father subsequently approached the Powai Police with a complaint naming people whom the family believed should be investigated.
Police then registered an FIR concerning alleged abetment of suicide.
It is important to stress that these allegations are claims made by the family and are not findings established by a court.
Caste-Harassment Allegations
Another serious dimension of the case concerns allegations that Sahil was subjected to casteist remarks.
According to the latest Times of India report, police applied provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act after Sahil's parents complained that he had allegedly been harassed with casteist slurs.
The FIR reportedly names a senior IIT Bombay professor along with other senior officials.
The exact allegations and the role of each person named in the complaint will have to be established through the investigation and subsequent judicial process.
Professor Named in the Controversy
Reports have identified Prof. Sooryanarayana Doolla of the Energy Science and Engineering Department as a professor whose role is being questioned by the family and some students.
Some students have alleged that Sahil was spoken to harshly following the examination and that he was threatened with suspension or debarment.
However, these accounts are disputed by the institute's official version.
IIT Bombay has stated that the matter was discussed with Sahil, that he was counselled and that no disciplinary action had been initiated.
The police investigation will have to establish what exactly was said during the interaction and whether anything occurring at the institute contributed to the circumstances leading to Sahil's death.
FIR Registered by Mumbai Police
On September 19, Mumbai Police registered a case following a complaint by Sahil's father.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Dutt Nalawade said the case relates to abetment of suicide and that the people named in the father's complaint were being investigated.
Police said the circumstances would be investigated from all angles.
The registration of an FIR is an important investigative step, but it does not establish guilt against anyone named in it.
The investigation must determine whether there is sufficient evidence connecting any individual to an offence.
Major Update: Crime Branch Takes Over
The most significant development reported late on September 19 was the transfer of the investigation from Powai Police to the Mumbai Police Crime Branch.
According to the Times of India, an ACP-rank officer from the Crime Branch will conduct the investigation.
The transfer followed the family's complaint and their refusal for several hours to claim Sahil's body from the post-mortem centre.
The family eventually claimed the body after the investigation was transferred.
IIT Bombay said that police had registered a case, that the matter was under investigation and that the institute would cooperate fully with the authorities. The institute also appealed to people to avoid speculation while the investigation proceeds.
What Was the Family's Demand?
The family wanted action against those whom they believed were responsible for the circumstances surrounding Sahil's death.
Reports said Sahil's parents initially refused to claim his body from the post-mortem centre.
His father reportedly stated that he would not conduct the final rites until action was taken against the accused.
After the case was transferred to the Crime Branch, the family claimed the body.
This development demonstrates how strongly the family disputes the suggestion that the death can simply be explained by the examination incident.
Student Protest at IIT Bombay
The incident triggered significant student protests.
Reports indicated that hundreds of students gathered on campus.
Students demanded an independent and transparent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Sahil's death.
The protests also expanded beyond the individual case.
Students raised broader concerns about:
Mental-health support
Academic pressure
Disciplinary procedures
Student representation
Faculty-student interactions
Campus restrictions
Handling of students facing personal or academic difficulties
According to the Indian Express, an open meeting was subsequently held where students raised concerns with IIT Bombay Director Prof. Shireesh Kedare.
Mid-Semester Examinations Postponed
The controversy also affected the examination schedule.
Following the protests and the death, the institute postponed the mid-semester examinations scheduled for Saturday.
The postponement came as students continued demonstrations and demanded answers from the administration.
Was Sahil Actually Suspended?
This is one of the most important disputed points in the case.
IIT Bombay's position
The institute says:
Sahil was found using a mobile phone.
The examination paper had allegedly been uploaded to ChatGPT.
The incident was discussed with him.
The instructor and Head of Department counselled him.
He was assured that the matter would not adversely affect his academic career.
No disciplinary action had been initiated.
Students' allegations
Some students have alleged that Sahil was threatened with suspension or debarment.
These claims have not been established by a court and are being investigated.
Determining whether such a threat was actually made, by whom, and in what circumstances could become an important part of the investigation.
What Happened Before the Death?
The presently available reporting establishes the following broad sequence:
September 18 — Examination
Sahil was taking an examination.
During the examination
He was allegedly found using a mobile phone.
IIT Bombay said the question paper had been uploaded to ChatGPT.
After the examination
The matter was discussed with him by faculty members.
The institute says he was counselled and reassured.
Later
Sahil returned to his hostel room.
Evening
He was found dead in his hostel room.
September 19
His parents reached Mumbai and approached police.
September 19
Students continued protests on campus.
September 19
Police registered an abetment-of-suicide case based on the father's complaint.
September 19, later
The investigation was transferred to the Mumbai Police Crime Branch.
Earlier Student Deaths at IIT Bombay in 2026
Sahil's death has also drawn attention because it was reported as the third student suicide at IIT Bombay in 2026.
Reports identify earlier deaths in February and July.
The Wire reported that the February victim was Naman Aggrawal, a second-year civil engineering student, while the July victim was Sohil Rajkumar Sangwan, a materials engineering student.
IIT Bombay's own January–March 2026 campus diary also recorded the deaths of several students during that period, though the document does not establish that each death was a suicide.
This distinction is important: a record of a student's death is not automatically evidence of suicide or of a common cause.
The 2023 Darshan Solanki Case
The current controversy has also brought renewed attention to the 2023 death of IIT Bombay student Darshan Solanki.
Solanki, a first-year B.Tech student, died in February 2023 after falling from a hostel building.
His death generated allegations of caste discrimination and prolonged debate about student welfare and campus environment.
However, the circumstances and investigative findings in the Solanki case are separate from the present Sahil Wakode investigation and should not be treated as proof of what happened in Sahil's case.
What Will the Crime Branch Investigate?
With the Crime Branch taking over, investigators are expected to examine the complete chain of events rather than relying on a single explanation.
Important areas of investigation include:
1. Examination records
Investigators may examine the examination procedure, invigilator reports and any material relating to the alleged phone use.
2. CCTV footage
CCTV footage can help reconstruct Sahil's movements from the examination area to his hostel.
3. Mobile-phone and digital evidence
Police may examine Sahil's phone and other relevant digital records.
4. Faculty statements
The investigators can record statements from the instructor, Head of Department and other people who interacted with Sahil.
5. Student witnesses
Students who were present in the examination hall or who spoke with Sahil afterwards may be questioned.
6. Alleged suspension threat
Police may investigate whether anyone actually threatened Sahil with suspension, expulsion or academic consequences.
7. Caste-harassment allegations
The allegations of casteist remarks will need to be examined independently through statements, communications and other available evidence.
8. Post-mortem and forensic evidence
The post-mortem report and forensic findings will form part of the investigation into the circumstances of death.
9. Previous interactions
Investigators may examine whether there were previous complaints, disputes or communications involving Sahil and any person named in the complaint.
What Happens Legally After an FIR?
The FIR is only the beginning of the criminal investigation.
The general process can involve:
FIR → Investigation → Evidence collection → Witness statements → Forensic examination → Arrest, if legally warranted → Chargesheet/final report → Court cognisance → Consideration of charges → Trial → Evidence and cross-examination → Arguments → Judgment
At the present stage, the case is still in the investigation phase.
The registration of an FIR does not mean that the allegations have been proved.
Similarly, being named in an FIR does not by itself establish criminal liability.
What Questions Remain Unanswered?
Several critical questions remain open:
What exactly happened during the examination?
What conversation took place between Sahil and the faculty members afterwards?
Was Sahil threatened with suspension or expulsion?
Did anyone make caste-based remarks?
Were there previous complaints or incidents involving Sahil?
What do CCTV recordings show?
What will the post-mortem and forensic evidence establish?
Did Sahil communicate with anyone immediately before his death?
What evidence supports or contradicts the family's allegations?
What evidence supports the institute's account?
Is there evidence legally sufficient to establish abetment?
What conclusions will the Crime Branch reach after completing the investigation?
These questions should be answered through evidence rather than speculation.
The Larger Issue: Academic Pressure and Student Welfare
The Sahil Wakode case has reopened a larger national conversation about student welfare at India's premier educational institutions.
The incident involves several overlapping issues:
Academic integrity:Educational institutions must maintain rules against cheating and unauthorised use of technology.
Artificial intelligence:The rapid growth of ChatGPT and other AI tools has created new challenges for examinations.
Mental-health support:Students experiencing distress need accessible and effective support.
Disciplinary procedures:Students and institutions need clear procedures that ensure allegations are handled fairly and transparently.
Caste discrimination:Where allegations of caste-based harassment are made, they require serious investigation under the applicable law.
Institutional accountability:At the same time, allegations against faculty or administrators must be established through evidence rather than assumption.
Complete Case Timeline
Date | Development |
September 18, 2026 | Sahil Wakode appears for an examination at IIT Bombay. |
September 18 | He is allegedly found using a mobile phone during the examination. |
September 18 | IIT Bombay says the examination paper was uploaded to ChatGPT. |
September 18 | Institute says faculty counselled him and assured him his academic career would not be adversely affected. |
September 18 evening | Sahil is found dead in his hostel room. |
September 18–19 | Police begin investigating the death. |
September 19 | Sahil's parents arrive from Yavatmal and approach police. |
September 19 | Students stage protests demanding an inquiry. |
September 19 | Mid-semester examinations are postponed. |
September 19 | Police register an abetment-of-suicide case based on the father's complaint. |
September 19 | Allegations of caste-based harassment are included in the complaint, according to reports. |
September 19, late evening | Investigation transferred to Mumbai Police Crime Branch. |
Next stage | Crime Branch investigation, evidence collection and examination of witnesses. |
The latest reported development as of September 19, 2026 is the Crime Branch takeover.
Conclusion
The death of IIT Bombay student Sahil Ravindra Wakode has developed from an examination-related incident into a police investigation involving allegations of abetment of suicide and caste-based harassment.
The institute's account is that Sahil was found using a mobile phone and had uploaded an examination paper to ChatGPT, but that no disciplinary action was initiated and that he was counselled and reassured about his academic future.
Sahil's family and some students have alleged that he faced harassment and pressure and have questioned the institute's handling of the matter.
Mumbai Police have now registered an FIR based on the father's complaint, and the investigation has been transferred to the Crime Branch, making this the most significant investigative development so far.
The coming stages of the investigation will be crucial. Statements of faculty members and students, CCTV footage, digital evidence, examination records, forensic findings and the post-mortem report may help establish the sequence of events.
For now, the central questions remain unanswered.
What exactly happened inside the examination hall?
What was said to Sahil afterwards?
Were there threats or harassment, as alleged by students and his family?
Or was the interaction handled in the manner described by IIT Bombay?
The Crime Branch investigation is expected to examine these competing accounts. Until that process is completed and, if necessary, tested before a court, allegations should not be treated as established facts.
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