Stories
IIT Bombay Suicide: Professor Doolla Denies Casteist Slurs in 8-Hour Questioning
- •Professor Suryanarayana Doolla denied allegations of caste discrimination and using casteist slurs against student Sahil Wakode during an 8-10 hour questioning by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch.
- •Doolla stated he followed institute guidelines and made no casteist or humiliating remarks, with the Crime Branch now verifying his claims against evidence and other statements.
- •Sahil Wakode, 22, was found dead in his hostel room on September 18, hours after being caught using a mobile phone during an exam, where he allegedly uploaded the paper to ChatGPT.
- •Wakode's family alleged caste discrimination, with his father, Ravindra Wakode, claiming his son spoke of discrimination by Doolla and demanding action.
- •Mumbai Police registered an abetment to suicide case, and Doolla was removed as Dean of Students' Welfare and sent on leave, though IIT Bombay faculty has backed him.
Key Questions Answered
During an eight to ten-hour questioning session on the IIT Bombay campus, Professor Suryanarayana Doolla denied allegations of caste discrimination and using casteist slurs against student Sahil Wakode. He maintained that he followed institute guidelines and acted in accordance with approved academic policies while discharging his duties.
Sahil Wakode, a 22-year-old student, was caught using a mobile phone and uploading an examination question paper onto ChatGPT during a mid-semester exam. He was pulled aside by exam invigilator Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, though the institute stated that no formal disciplinary action was initiated against him.
Following allegations made by Sahil Wakode's family that the student faced caste-based discrimination and harassment, Professor Suryanarayana Doolla was removed from his position as IIT Bombay's Dean of Students' Welfare and sent on leave. Mumbai Police subsequently registered a case of abetment to suicide based on a complaint filed by the student's father.
