Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad Detained at IIT Bombay Protest Over Student Death

Police detained Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad, party workers, and NSUI members outside the IIT Bombay Powai campus on Thursday during a protest over the death of student Sahil Wakode. Sahil, a 22-year-old second-year BTech student, was found hanging in his hostel room on September 18 evening. His parents have alleged caste-based discrimination and harassment, while the institute has disputed these charges. His father Ravindra stated that police in the Bhandup area prevented them from meeting the National Commission for Scheduled Castes in Mumbai. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi made a 17-minute video call to Sahil's parents while they traveled from Washim district to assure them of support. Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib demanded an impartial probe and the immediate arrest of the IIT Bombay director and a professor. Gaikwad termed the death an institutional murder and accused the ruling establishment of harming the education system. IIT Bombay reissued an apology for its earlier communication linking Sahil's death to an exam incident involving ChatGPT, admitting it was inappropriate to characterize details before a proper investigation. The Mumbai Police Crime Branch is currently investigating the case. Faculty member Suryanarayan Doolla, named in an FIR alleging abetment to suicide on grounds of caste discrimination, has been sent on leave.