IIT student's suicide: BSP leader seeks CBI probe, Rs 5 crore aid for family

The suicide of Sahil Ravindra Wakode, a second-year BTech student at IIT Bombay, has once again raised questions about social equality, student safety and alleged caste-based discrimination at the country's top educational institutions.

Sahil's family has alleged that he was being harassed on caste grounds. Taking note of the seriousness of the matter, Dr Advocate Sandeep Tajne, BSP's former Maharashtra president, on Tuesday demanded a CBI investigation into the circumstances of Sahil's death and Rs 5 crore in financial assistance to the family from the government.

Tajne said, "If a Bahujan student who gets admission to a major educational institution in the country becomes a victim of caste prejudice, humiliation or mental pressure, it cannot be dismissed as merely a personal tragedy for one student. It raises serious questions about the social sensitivity of the entire education system."

He demanded strict action if the allegations are proven true. He said merely suspending those responsible would not be enough, and institutions should also be held accountable for discriminatory practices.

Citing the suicide of Rohit Vemula, Tajne said that given the persistent concerns over the safety of students from backward communities at higher education institutions, the government should seriously review the existing system.

He also demanded that the union education minister take moral responsibility in Sahil's case and resign. Tajne further alleged that merely changing the union education minister would not change the RSS-led government's attitude towards the educational advancement of SC and ST students.

According to data provided by the government in Parliament, several suicides by SC/ST students at IITs came to light between 2018 and 2023. According to a reply given in the Rajya Sabha in 2023, two SC students died by suicide in 2018, one SC student in 2019, one SC and one ST student in 2022, and two SC students in 2023.

Sahil's death followed an incident linked to an examination. The institute had earlier issued a clarification about the examination process, but later apologised for parts of its earlier statement and said the matter was under investigation.

The police investigation has now been transferred to the Crime Branch. However, Tajne has demanded that the entire matter be handed over to the CBI for an independent and comprehensive investigation.

Tajne said, "The allegations of caste discrimination should be proven or dismissed through a fair investigation. But it would be dangerous to dismiss the concerns of students and their families as merely 'academic pressure'."

He demanded that every higher education institution set up an accessible grievance redressal system, an independent social audit and an accountable counselling system specifically for SC and ST students.

These demands have deepened the scrutiny of the investigation into Sahil's death, with the institute's accountability and student safety now at the centre of the controversy amid the allegations of caste discrimination.