Mumbai (Rajeev Sharma): A second-year student of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay died by suicide on Friday, hours after he was found using a mobile phone during an examination, triggering protests on the Powai campus.
The student was identified as Sahil Ravindra Wakode, who hailed from Maharashtra’s Yavatmal district and was pursuing BTech in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering.
According to IIT Bombay, Wakode had uploaded the examination question paper to ChatGPT during the test in an attempt to obtain answers. The institute said the matter was subsequently discussed with him by the instructor and the department head, who counselled him and assured him that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career. No disciplinary action had been initiated against him, the institute said.
Student Found Dead in Hostel
Later on Friday, Wakode was found dead in his room in Hostel 4 on the IIT Bombay campus.
Police have registered an accidental death report and launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death. No suicide note was reported to have been found, and the body was sent for post-mortem examination.
The exact circumstances that led to the student’s death remain under investigation, and officials have not established a definitive motive.
Students Stage Protest
The incident led to a demonstration by students on campus, with more than 400 students reportedly taking part. Students raised concerns about the handling of the episode and sought greater attention to student welfare and mental health support. The ongoing mid-semester examinations were also postponed following the incident, according to reports.
IIT Bombay has expressed grief over the death and said it is extending support to the student’s friends, classmates, faculty members and others affected by the tragedy.
Third Reported Campus Suicide in Seven Months
The death has also renewed concerns over student well-being at the institute. It is the third reported student suicide at the Powai campus in about seven months.
A second-year student died by suicide in February, while another second-year BTech student died in July at the beginning of the new academic semester.
Police and other authorities are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding Wakode’s death, while the campus grapples with the aftermath of the incident.
