Sahil Wakode case: FIR but no arrest a month on; 16 detained at IIT Bombay
Published · Updated
The IIT Bombay student died on 18 September. An FIR names a professor and the Crime Branch is investigating, but no arrest has been made. What is established, what is alleged and what is still unknown.
Original report
As of 18 October 2026, 20:15 IST. The parents' accounts below are allegations; no court or inquiry has ruled on them.
In the Sahil Wakode case, Mumbai Police detained the IIT Bombay student's parents and at least 16 students at a protest on the IIT Bombay campus on 18 October 2026, Scroll reported. Sahil Wakode died by suicide on 18 September 2026, The Quint, Scroll and Free Press Journal reported, and a First Information Report (FIR) names a professor.
A month on, there has been no arrest. Mumbai Crime Branch is investigating, and the parents are on hunger strike demanding one.
See how every outlet covered it
What we know
- An FIR names Prof Suryanarayana Doolla under abetment to suicide and Atrocities Act sections, The Quint, Scroll and Free Press Journal reported. Being named in an FIR is not a finding of guilt.
- Mumbai Crime Branch is investigating (The Quint, 2026; Free Press Journal, 2026).
- The parents, Ravindra and Sonali Wakode, are on hunger strike at Azad Maidan, The Quint reported. Student protests have run for about a month.
- On 18 October police detained the parents and at least 16 students at the IIT Bombay protest, Scroll reported (Scroll.in, 2026). Students allege police used force; replies from police and IIT Bombay were pending.
The parents allege caste remarks over three months
The parents say the professor made caste-based remarks to their son for three months, The Quint and Scroll reported. These are allegations, not findings.
"He did not commit suicide, he was murdered," his father, Ravindra Wakode, told The Quint. The professor's reply was not in the reports we read.
IIT Bombay's director, Shireesh B Kedare, told Scroll that "caste-based information of every student is completely hidden".
That is where the institute's public account stops.
How the coverage split
The Quint led on the parents' claim at the one-month mark. Scroll led on the detention of parents and students on campus. Free Press Journal led on police detaining students and others outside IIT Bombay.
None of the three reported an IIT Bombay inquiry or a timeline for the police investigation.
What we don't know yet
- Whether IIT Bombay has opened its own inquiry, or taken any action on the professor.
- The Crime Branch's timeline, and whether any arrest is being considered.
- Why police cleared the protest on 18 October.
- Which campus rules on student deaths apply here. We have not verified the Supreme Court task force or UGC guidance, so we do not describe them.
What happens next
No dates for the investigation or any court step have been reported, Free Press Journal said. We will update this page when one is set.
Questions people are asking
What is the Sahil Wakode case?
Sahil Wakode, an IIT Bombay student, died by suicide on 18 September 2026. An FIR names a professor, and Mumbai Crime Branch is investigating.
Why do his parents want the professor arrested?
They allege caste-based remarks over three months, The Quint and Scroll reported. These are allegations that no court has tested.
What have police and IIT Bombay done?
Police registered an FIR and the Crime Branch is investigating. Any IIT Bombay inquiry has not been reported.
Why were the parents detained?
Police cleared the protest site on 18 October. No reason had been reported.
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References
- Free Press Journal (2026) Sahil Wakode Suicide Case: Mumbai Police Detain Students & Others During Protest Outside IIT-Bombay. Free Press Journal. Available at: Sahil Wakode Suicide Case: Mumbai Police Detain Students & Others During Protest Outside IIT-Bombay (Accessed: 18 October 2026).
- Scroll.in (2026) Parents of IIT-B student who died by suicide detained during protest at campus. Scroll.in. Available at: Parents of IIT-B student who died by suicide detained during protest at campus (Accessed: 18 October 2026).
- The Quint (2026) 'Murdered': A Month After Sahil Wakode's Suicide, Parents Continue Hunger Strike. The Quint. Available at: 'Murdered': A Month After Sahil Wakode's Suicide, Parents Continue Hunger Strike (Accessed: 18 October 2026).
How we did this
We read the 18 October reports from The Quint, Scroll and Free Press Journal, and compared what each led on with the coverage grouped on our story page. We sorted every claim into what is established, what is alleged and what is unknown. Following suicide-reporting guidance, we have left out method and location details.
This story was produced, reviewed, edited and verified by the reporter before publication, with AI assistance where required.
Covered by 14 outlets across the spectrum: 36% left, 57% center, 7% right.
Who is covering this story
- Left-leaning (3): The Hindu, The Quint, Scroll.in
- Center (3): Deccan Herald, Free Press Journal, ABP Live English
- Right-leaning (1): Deccan Chronicle
Sources
- Sahil Wakode death: Parents demand arrest of IIT Bombay professors as student groups protest at Azad Maidan — The Hindu (left-leaning) ·
- Sahil Wakode death: Protesting IIT Bombay students claim detention, use of excessive force by police — Deccan Herald (center) ·
- IIT Bombay Student Sahil Wakode's Death Sparks Continued Protests; Parents Demand Independent Probe Into Caste Discrimination Allegations — Free Press Journal (center) ·
- Sahil Wakode Death: Protesting IIT B Students Claim detention, Use of Force By Police — Deccan Chronicle (right-leaning) ·
- One month of IIT Bombay student's death: No arrests yet; protest continues — Deccan Herald (center) ·
- Sahil Wakode Suicide: IIT-B Student — Free Press Journal (center) ·
- 'Murdered': A Month After Sahil Wakode's Suicide, Parents Continue Hunger Strike — The Quint (left-leaning) ·
- Parents of IIT-B student who died by suicide detained during protest at campus — Scroll.in (left-leaning) ·
- IIT Bombay Student Sahil Wakode's Parents Taken To Azad Maidan Police Station As Cops Clear Month-Long Protest Site — Free Press Journal (center) ·
- IIT Bombay Student Sahil Wakode’s Parents Detained, Police Demolish Protest Site — ABP Live English (center) ·
- 'Is Tiger Shroff More Important Than Our Youth?' Sahil Wakode's Parents Question Authorities Over Unequal Response — Free Press Journal (center) ·
- AIISCA Condemns Alleged Police Brutality Against Dalit Students At IIT Bombay, Demands Action Against Officials — Free Press Journal (center) ·
- IIT-B student death case: Sahil Wakode’s parents seek CM intervention — The Hindu (left-leaning) ·
- Sahil Wakode’s Family Seeks CM Action In IIT Bombay Student Death — The Quint (left-leaning) ·