'I Am With You': Rahul Gandhi Assures Sahil Wakode’s Parents Of Support In Fight For Justice Over IIT Bombay Student’s Death

Mumbai: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reached out to the parents of deceased IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode, assuring them of their support in seeking justice for their son, according to party sources. The Congress leader spoke to Ravindra and Sonali Wakode via a video call while they were en route to Mumbai from Washim district, sources told PTI.

During the almost 17-minute call, Gandhi expressed his solidarity with Sahil's parents, promising all assistance from the Congress party, sources reported. Indian Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib and Maharashtra unit chief Shivraj More accompanied Sahil's parents during the call. The grieving parents have vowed to embark on an indefinite hunger strike outside IIT Bombay's gate starting at 11 am on Thursday.

The investigation into Sahil Wakode's suicide is centered around his access to an iPhone, as police are examining events from the day of the incident. The Mumbai Police Crime Branch is actively probing the case, which revolves around allegations of caste discrimination leading to abetment to suicide. Faculty member Suryanarayan Doolla, named in the FIR, is on leave to ensure a fair investigation.

CCTV footage from the examination hall, aired on some news channels, captured Sahil Wakode's movements before he was confronted by a professor, who led him away from the hall after he allegedly accessed ChatGPT during a mid-semester examination.