New Delhi: After being pro-formally sorry for the earlier message, the college IIT Bombay has extended its apologies for the death of one of its student in a student protest it had made at its campus after three days. The college IIT Bombay extended its apology for the death of one of its students after angry protests in the campus for three days. The apology was issued on Monday, Sept. 21.
The student Sahil Wakode was from second year of BTech program. Last week he committed suicide. His parents say he has been discriminated against for being a member of a particular caste and that the institute and its staff have forced this man to take this step.
We apologise for the statements contained in our earlier communication concerning the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate demise of Sahil.
The details and circumstances leading up to the incident remain subject to investigation by the appropriate authorities. In view of the ongoing investigation, it was inappropriate to have set out or characterised details relating to the events preceding his demise before they had been duly established through the appropriate investigative process.
— IIT Bombay (@iitbombay) September 21, 2026
The statement issued by IIT Bombay soon after Wakode’s death stated that he used his mobile phone to chat with ChatGPT for solving his exam during his mid-term exam and that the school uploaded the question paper of the midterm test to ChatGPT for solving questions after discovering him using ChatGPT, but had taken no action against him. This was no doubt a statement that upset students, who felt that it took a dim-contoured look at the student after his passing.
That changed on Monday with the institute. In its earlier message, it had expressed its “apology” for the “situations” surrounding Sahil’s death, which it noted was still under investigation, and hence it was not appropriate to put words on it before they were properly verified.
The institute also dispelled any confusion regarding the institute’s director Shireesh Kedare. Though earlier Kedare told the protest students that he will resign on Monday, it said the reports of his resignation were untrue.
Late Sunday night, after he met with the protesting students, Kedare signed an 18-point list of demands. The police have registered a case against a professor and others on a complaint from the parents of Wakode, under laws pertaining to the abetment of suicide and the SC/ST Prevention of Atrocities Act. The professor, who was named in the case, Sooryanarayana Doolla, has quit his job at IIT Bombay.
Students call for an independent investigation into the student’s death. The institute has said on its side that caste discrimination was not involved as Wakode did not complain in its SC/ST cell.
