IIT Bombay suicide: 3 students, psychiatrist part of panel to probe Sahil’s death

Days after 20-year-old Sahil Wakode died by suicide after he was caught using a mobile phone inside an examination hall, IIT Bombay Director Professor Shireesh Kedare said on Wednesday that the Board of Governors has set up a 10-member committee to examine the circumstances surrounding the student’s death on September 18.

He said, “The committee will be headed by Dr Ramesh Venkateswaran,” who serves as the Chairman of the Board of Governors at IIT Palakkad. While Professor Kedare said the institute will later issue an official statement to share information on other members of the committee, sources said the committee will include Professor K Narayanan of the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Professor Sadip Kumar Saha of the Department of Mechanical Engineering, convener of the institute’s SC/ST Students and Staff Cell, and Professor Deepti Kalsi of the Department of Chemistry.

The three student members included in the committee are Aditya Joshi, general secretary (Hostel Affairs); Dev Arora, overall coordinator of the Student Mentor Programme; and research scholar Devi Lal. The committee also includes retired IAS officer Vishwanath Giriraj, former institute vigilance officer Professor K G Suresh of the Department of Physics, and psychiatrist Dr Harish Shetty.

The move comes amid demand from students seeking an independent probe into circumstances leading up to Sahil Wakode’s death. Meanwhile, a sharp divide among sections of IIT Bombay students has come into focus over Professor Doolla’s suspension – a common demand from all students has been for an independent and transparent investigation by the institute into the entire episode – from the time Sahil Wakode was allegedly caught using a mobile phone in the examination hall to his suicide minutes later.

Professor Doolla was the invigilator at the exam hall where Sahil was writing his exam along with other students. He was allegedly caught using his mobile phone, and hours later, he was found dead in his hostel room. His death has triggered protests on the campus.

The committee is directed to submit its report within seven days. Meanwhile, reports have emerged that Professor Doolla is being sent on leave until the probe into the IIT student's suicide case is concluded. The Indian Express couldn’t confirm the reports.