Sahil Wakode’s Father Continues Hunger Strike At Azad Maidan, Demands Arrest Of IIT Bombay Officials

Mumbai: On the tenth day of his hunger strike at Azad Maidan, Sahil Wakode's father vowed to continue his protest until IIT Bombay professor Suryanarayana Doolla and institute director Shireesh Kedare were arrested. He also expressed frustration that no member of the institute's inquiry panel had reached out to the family. "Until both are arrested, my hunger strike will continue," he declared.

When asked about the rule requiring protesters to vacate Azad Maidan at a certain time, he stated he would adhere to the regulation while persisting with his fast.

Wakode's father mentioned that he had met an SC/ST commission official, but no government delegation had visited him. He noted that political leaders had shown their support. Family members of Darshan Solanki, an IIT Bombay student who passed away in 2023, had also visited, though they didn't engage in lengthy discussions.

He urged investigators to delve into allegations of caste-based harassment and the alleged role in Sahil's suicide in the police case, stating, "This case is not simply about whether Sahil took a phone into an examination or copied. Why was he driven to take his life, and how did it happen? That needs to be investigated." The accusations against those named in the case remain under investigation.

Earlier this month, a CCTV footage emerged, and Wakode's father expressed no comment on its contents while the inquiry was ongoing. "Such footage should not have come out. It is part of the investigation, and the investigation will establish what happened," he added. He also mentioned that the Crime Branch should determine how the footage became public.

"I have given my statement. I have not spoken to the police about the status of the investigation since then," he said, adding that he would fully cooperate with investigators.

Wakode, a second-year BTech student, was discovered deceased in his hostel room earlier this month. IIT Bombay subsequently removed Doolla from his administrative position pending investigation. The institute also apologized for its earlier communication that inaccurately described the events leading to Sahil's death before investigators had confirmed them.