🎓 IIT Powai student suicide sparks protest; 400 students demand accountability
Mumbai, September 19: Following the suicide of a student at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Powai, around 400 students protested against the institute administration on Saturday. The matter was resolved after the Powai police station intervened, and the police station assured to investigate every aspect of the student’s suicide.
The police officer investigating the case said on Saturday that 19-year-old Sahil, a student at IIT Powai, committed suicide by hanging himself in his hostel room on Friday evening. The incident occurred just hours after action was taken against the use of mobile phones during the mid-semester exams. Upon receiving information from the scene, the Powai police station team recovered the student’s body and sent it to Rajawadi Hospital for post-mortem.
Upon learning of the incident, the student’s parents rushed to the IIT Powai campus. The mother leveled serious allegations against the institute’s administration, claiming that her son was beaten and mentally harassed. Subsequently, the student’s parents filed a harassment complaint against the institute at the Powai police station. However, the IIT Powai administration has denied these allegations.
An IIT Powai official stated that during the mid-semester exam, Sahil allegedly took a photo of the question paper with his mobile phone and attempted to access the answers through Chat GTP. The invigilator caught him using the mobile phone during the exam.
According to the institute, following the incident, the department head and some professors called Sahil for a discussion and counseling. The administration claims that he was sent back to the hostel and no immediate strict or disciplinary action was taken against him. According to the institute, the student was also informed that the incident would not impact his academic career.
After news of Sahil’s death spread, over 400 students gathered outside the main building of the IIT Mumbai campus and protested. The protesting students also questioned the continuation of exams after the incident. They say the institute did not postpone the exams despite such a serious incident. Currently, the Powai police are investigating the events leading up to the student’s death, the institute’s actions, and the allegations made by the family.
