Mumbai: The mother of IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode, who died by suicide hours after he was allegedly caught using AI during an examination, has accused people on the campus of harassing her son.

“My son has been killed. He was severely harassed. I want justice,” she said.

Mumbai Police have registered a case of abetment of suicide based on a complaint filed by Wakode’s father. Police said the complaint named several people, and their alleged roles are being investigated.

Wakode, a second-year MSc student in IIT Bombay’s Department of Energy Science and Engineering, was found dead in his hostel room on the institute’s Powai campus on Friday evening.

According to IIT Bombay, Wakode was found using a mobile phone in the examination hall earlier that day. The institute said he had uploaded the question paper to ChatGPT to seek answers.

What IIT Bombay said

IIT Bombay said no disciplinary action had been initiated against Wakode following the incident.

“The matter was also discussed with the student by the instructor and the Head of the Department, who counselled him and assured him that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career,” the institute said in a statement.

It said Wakode then returned to his hostel room and was found dead there later in the evening.

“The circumstances surrounding the death are being looked into by the appropriate authorities,” the institute said.

Parents allege caste discrimination

Wakode’s parents have also alleged that their son faced caste-based discrimination and pressure on campus, according to police.

The parents told police that their son had previously spoken to them about discrimination and difficulties he was facing at the institute. They said they had advised him to remain patient and told him that his future would improve after he completed his course.

Based on their complaint, an FIR was registered under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), relating to abetment of suicide, along with provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The complaint names institute officials, including former dean of student affairs Suryanarayan Dulla, among others.

The investigation has now been transferred to the Mumbai Crime Branch and will be led by an assistant commissioner of police-level officer, police said.

No suicide note found

Police said no suicide note was found from the hostel room.

The parents initially refused to claim Wakode’s body at Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar, where it had been kept, and demanded a thorough investigation. They later agreed to take the body after police assured them that the allegations would be investigated, officers said.

IIT Bombay’s SC/ST Students and Staff Cell, meanwhile, said Wakode had not lodged any complaint of caste-based discrimination with the cell.

Students protest on campus

The death has triggered protests by students at IIT Bombay, with more than 400 students taking part in a demonstration on campus.

Protesting students alleged that Wakode had been threatened with a one-year suspension after he was caught using a mobile phone during the examination. They claimed such a suspension could have required him to vacate his hostel accommodation and potentially delayed the completion of his course.

“We have come out to demand accountability and transparency from the administration. This isn’t the first incident,” a protesting student said.

Students have also questioned whether the institute disclosed the full circumstances surrounding Wakode’s death.

Wakode’s death is the third reported suicide at IIT Bombay in seven months. A second-year student died by suicide in his hostel room in February, while a 20-year-old second-year BTech student died by suicide in July.

The police investigation is continuing.

(Disclaimer: If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress, mental health challenges, or thoughts of self-harm, seek professional support without delay. You can contact Tele-MANAS, a 24x7 mental health helpline by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, at 14416 or 1800-891-4416.)