IIT Bombay Apologises for Remarks Following Student Suicide

MUMBAI: The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) issued a public apology on Monday regarding its previous official statements on the death of a second-year BTech student, Sahil Wakode. The move follows three days of widespread student protests on the Powai campus demanding accountability and systemic reforms.

The controversy began after an official communication from the institute reportedly characterized the events leading up to the student’s demise before law enforcement completed its initial probe.

In an official statement released on social media, the administration expressed regret over its earlier characterization of the incident: “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.”

The apology comes amid intense dialogue between student representatives and the institute’s leadership. Protesting students submitted an 18-point charter of demands, calling for independent investigations, academic policy reviews, and administrative accountability. The institute suspended the deanship of Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who was named in an FIR filed by the deceased student’s family.