Sahil Wakode's parents detained, IIT Bombay's 'Justice Corner' cleared a month after his death
By TUF News Desk · Published 19 October 2026 · 4 min read
Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy
One month after second-year BTech student Sahil Wakode was found dead in his IIT Bombay hostel room, Sunday’s protest outside the institute’s main gate ended in detentions. Mumbai Police detained Wakode’s parents, their lawyer, and about 16 to 20 students, and cleared the protest site the students had maintained for a month and called “Justice Corner.”
Students, activists, and citizens had gathered at the Powai campus to mark a month since Wakode’s death on September 18 and to demand an investigation they called transparent. Police took protesters away in buses and demolished the sit-in site near the main gate, multiple outlets reported.
What the parents asked for
Ravindra and Sonali Wakode arrived on campus on Sunday to pay homage to their son. Before the detentions, Ravindra submitted a letter to the registrar and the chairperson and Board of Governors, seeking the preservation of hostel CCTV footage and a reconstruction of his son’s movements on September 18.
The family wants a full account of what happened after Sahil left the examination hall that day, the names of everyone who interacted with him afterwards, and records of what medical help reached him. They have also questioned the institute’s authority in obtaining an apology letter from him after the alleged malpractice incident, the Times of India reported.
How Sunday unfolded
The family’s lawyer, Siddhartha Ingale, said the couple was sitting peacefully at the protest site when police began clearing it. Officers asked Ravindra Wakode to leave; he refused to go until the detained students were released, after which he and his wife were detained as well. Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi workers were also picked up, the Free Press Journal reported.
Student groups accused the police of excessive force, alleging protesters were kicked, choked, and had their clothes torn, the Daily Pioneer reported via Scroll. Students protesting inside the campus said they were detained and injured in a scuffle with police, Mid-day reported. Neither the Mumbai Police nor the IIT Bombay administration had issued a statement at the time of reporting, and the institute declined to comment, the Times of India reported.
Reactions on and off campus
Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad and MLA Aslam Shaikh visited the campus on Sunday to pay homage to Wakode. NCP (SP) spokesperson Anish Gawande condemned the detentions on X, asking how students could be detained from inside the campus.
Former Board of Governors chairperson Sharad Saraf took a different line. He urged political parties to stay away from the campus, warning that continued disruptions could affect the studies of around 12,000 students. He added that the students’ belongings at the protest site were preserved separately, Mid-day reported.
The backdrop
Wakode died on September 18, hours after he was allegedly caught using a mobile phone during a mid-semester examination. His family has alleged he faced caste-based harassment from a faculty member, and an FIR for abetment to suicide has been registered. The allegations remain under investigation.
The institute has taken several welfare steps since. It emailed fresh anti-discrimination guidelines to the campus on October 13, which we covered in its anti-discrimination guidelines, and opened 30 ad hoc counsellor posts at its Student Wellness Centre. Official announcements appear on IIT Bombay’s official website.
Frequently asked questions
Why were Sahil Wakode’s parents detained?
They were at the “Justice Corner” protest site on October 18, a month after their son’s death. Their lawyer said Ravindra Wakode refused to leave until detained students were released, after which police detained both parents and the lawyer.
What happened to the “Justice Corner” protest site?
Mumbai Police cleared and demolished the site near the main gate. About 16 to 20 students were detained and later released. Neither the police nor the institute had issued a statement at the time of reporting.
What are the parents demanding from IIT Bombay?
Preservation of hostel CCTV footage, a reconstruction of Sahil’s movements on September 18, a full account of what happened after he left the examination hall, and records of the medical response.
What is the status of the case?
An FIR for abetment to suicide has been registered against a faculty member named in the family’s complaint. The allegations remain under investigation.
Frequently asked questions
Why were Sahil Wakode's parents detained?
They were at the 'Justice Corner' protest site outside IIT Bombay's main gate on October 18. Their lawyer said Ravindra Wakode refused to leave until detained students were released, after which police detained both parents and the lawyer.
What happened to the 'Justice Corner' protest site?
Mumbai Police cleared and demolished the site near the main gate. About 16 to 20 students were detained and later released. Neither the police nor the institute had issued a statement at the time of reporting.
What are the parents demanding from IIT Bombay?
Preservation of hostel CCTV footage, a reconstruction of Sahil's movements on September 18, a full account of what happened after he left the examination hall, and records of the medical response.
What is the status of the case?
An FIR for abetment to suicide has been registered against a faculty member named in the family's complaint. The allegations remain under investigation.
Sources: Mid-day, The Times of India, Scroll.in, ABP Live