IIT Bombay faculty member booked for caste abuse, suicide abetment
Sahil Wakode, a second-year BTech Energy Science student, was found dead in his hostel on September 18
On September 19, 2026, the Mumbai Police booked IIT Bombay faculty member Suryanarayan Dulla for alleged caste abuse and abetment to suicide. This followed the discovery of 22-year-old student Sahil Wakode, a second-year BTech Energy Science student, dead in his hostel room. Mr. Dulla, who works in the Energy Science department, was charged under various sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and for abetment to suicide.
The student's father, Chakradhar Wakode, filed a complaint alleging that Dulla had been abusing him using caste terms for three months. Chakradhar also mentioned that Dulla had told Sahil he could harass him and implicate him in a false case due to his lower caste status. After the incident, IIT Bombay expressed condolences, stating that Sahil had uploaded the third semester examination question paper on ChatGPT to seek help.
According to a fellow student, Dulla had caught Sahil during the exam and threatened debarment. Sahil left the exam hall immediately and was later found dead in hostel number 4. The IIT Bombay administration is under scrutiny, with students demanding the resignation of the institute's director. The police are currently investigating the circumstances surrounding Sahil's death.
Assistance for individuals experiencing suicidal thoughts is available through the State's health helpline 104, Tele-MANAS 14416, and Sneha's suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.
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