IIT Bombay Removes Professor from Dean Post Amid Student Suicide Controversy

The suicide of 22-year-old IIT Bombay BTech student Sahil Wakode has triggered a major controversy. IIT Bombay has announced that Professor Suryanarayana Dhul will be removed from his position as Dean of Administrative Affairs. The decision comes amid allegations that caste discrimination and mental harassment by the professor contributed to the student’s death.

Sahil, a second-year student of Energy Science and Engineering, died by suicide by hanging himself in his hostel room on Friday. It has been alleged that on the same day, during a mid-semester examination, Professor Suryanarayana, who was serving as an invigilator, caught Sahil allegedly using ChatGPT to write his answers. Sahil’s parents accused Professor Suryanarayana of being responsible for their son’s death. Based on their complaint, police registered a case against the professor under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act and on charges of abetment of suicide.

Meanwhile, IIT Bombay expressed regret over its initial statement regarding the incident. Students strongly objected to the institute declaring Sahil at fault before the investigation had been completed. Following the criticism, the institute issued another statement on Monday apologizing for its earlier communication.

Students continue to protest on campus, demanding a comprehensive investigation into the incident and calling for Professor Suryanarayana to be removed not only from the Dean’s position but also from his post as a professor. Youth Congress activists have also held protests in support of the students.

However, fellow faculty members and the IIT Madras Faculty Association have extended their support to Professor Suryanarayana. The faculty forum stated that he had acted according to the rules and had made significant efforts toward student welfare.It is also noteworthy that Professor Suryanarayana is an alumnus of Acharya Nagarjuna University in Guntur. He completed his BTech there in 2000.