Mumbai: Newly emerged CCTV footage from an examination hall captures the final moments leading up to the tragic death of IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode, showing the B.Tech student being pulled aside by an invigilator during a mid-semester test. The video shows Sahil, dressed in a black t-shirt, seated in the front row when an examiner confronts him over allegedly using a mobile phone to access ChatGPT. After a brief exchange, Sahil hands over the device, packs his belongings, and leaves the hall. Hours later on September 18, he was found dead in his hostel room.

The circulating footage has intensified scrutiny around the incident, prompting IIT Bombay to establish a 10-member high-level internal committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death. In response to the growing fallout, faculty member Suryanarayan Doolla—who is named in an police FIR alleging abetment to suicide and caste discrimination—has been sent on leave to ensure an unhindered probe. Doolla was also stepped down from his position as Dean of Administrative Affairs following widespread student and political demonstrations.

Sahil’s family has expressed outrage over the incident. His parents revealed that Sahil had previously confided in them about facing caste-based slurs on campus, and his father, Ravindra, has threatened a hunger strike unless the institute officials named in the FIR, including IIT Bombay Director Shirish Kedare, are arrested.

The Mumbai Police Crime Branch, currently leading the criminal investigation, has declined to comment directly on the leaked video. Authorities issued a formal statement urging the public, political figures, and media outlets to refrain from spreading rumors, making premature judgments, or speculating on social media. Police assured that the matter is being probed impartially across all angles.

The case has also drawn sharp reactions across political and student circles. MNS Chief Raj Thackeray cautioned against politicising the tragic event, attributing the suicide to deeper structural flaws in the education system. Meanwhile, student groups have called for a comprehensive inquiry, demanding strict accountability once the investigation establishes the exact timeline and facts. (With inputs from Agencies)