IIT Bombay belongings row stalls as students refuse one-by-one handover after Oct 24 talks fail
By TUF News Desk · Published 26 October 2026 · 4 min read
Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy
A meeting meant to return belongings taken from IIT Bombay’s protest site ended without a deal on Saturday, October 24. Students who went to collect their things left empty-handed, and both sides blamed the other’s rules for the breakdown.
The students were called to the Chief Security Officer’s office at 10 am, hours after an email sent around midnight asked them to collect their belongings one by one in 15-minute slots. They asked for six student representatives to be allowed to witness the handover. Three students were let into a room where four professors, the CSO, security staff and officials in plain clothes were present.
One student told Mumbai Mirror that the CSO called the group a “mob” and left without addressing their demands. The students want their possessions returned and the protest site, known as Justice Corner, restored. The institute had not responded to that allegation when Mumbai Mirror went to press.
The paperwork became a second sticking point
The panel asked students to sign a letter confirming that the belongings had been collected from the main gate and that ownership was undisputed. The students agreed to sign, but wanted both sides to sign a statement confirming the handover. They objected to the wording because, in their account, the items were taken from Justice Corner after students were detained on October 18, not simply found near the gate.
The institute gave a different version in a mail to faculty members, reported by The Times of India. It said the students insisted on their own protocol instead of the standard process for returning items, and that the question could be discussed by the appropriate institute bodies. Both sides also accused each other of recording the meeting on video without permission, and students said a camera and microphones had been set up in the room without prior notice.
Nine laptops still out of reach
The delay has a direct cost for the students involved. They say nine laptops remain inaccessible, and some have taken quizzes on borrowed devices or tablets because their study material is locked away with their belongings.
One student said she had been without her laptop for a week and had not studied at all since her books, report and room keys were taken. Another said she had a panic attack during the confrontation and was still without her room keys and some medication, with friends arranging medicines and lending her clothes. Students said they had been without essential possessions for six days and were waiting for a fresh handover date.
How the row began
Around 12 to 15 students have been protesting for over a month following the death of second-year student Sahil Wakode on September 18. On October 18, police detained the protesting students, and the Justice Corner site outside the main gate was cleared. The institute’s position, reported by The Times of India, was that the belongings were blocking the main entrance.
Professors at the October 24 meeting said they lacked the authority to approve the demand for student representation and would consult higher authorities, then left, suspending the handover.
Institute notices and updates are published on IIT Bombay’s official website. Students comparing engineering institutes can read our guide on how to choose a university in India.
Frequently asked questions
Why did the October 24 handover meeting fail?
Students wanted six representatives to witness the return of their belongings, while the institute wanted to follow its standard one-at-a-time process. The two sides could not agree, and the handover was suspended.
What belongings are the students trying to get back?
Room keys, laptops, medicines and photographs, among other items taken when protesters were detained on October 18. Students say nine laptops are still inaccessible.
What did students allege about the institute’s Chief Security Officer?
Students alleged that the CSO called them a “mob” during the meeting and left without addressing their demands. The institute had not responded to that allegation when Mumbai Mirror went to press.
What happens next in the dispute?
Professors at the meeting said they would consult higher authorities about the students’ demand for representation. Students are waiting for a fresh date for the handover.
Frequently asked questions
Why did the October 24 handover meeting fail?
Students wanted six representatives to witness the return of their belongings, while the institute wanted to follow its standard one-at-a-time process. The two sides could not agree, and the handover was suspended.
What belongings are the students trying to get back?
Room keys, laptops, medicines and photographs, among other items taken when protesters were detained on October 18. Students say nine laptops are still inaccessible.
What did students allege about the institute's Chief Security Officer?
Students alleged that the CSO called them a 'mob' during the meeting and left without addressing their demands. The institute had not responded to that allegation when Mumbai Mirror went to press.
What happens next in the dispute?
Professors at the meeting said they would consult higher authorities about the students' demand for representation. Students are waiting for a fresh date for the handover.
Sources: The Times of India, Mumbai Mirror