NCSC keeps close watch on probe into student's suicide

New Delhi: The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has sought a detailed investigation report from Mumbai Police on the probe into the death of an IIT Bombay student belonging to the SC community.

NCSC chairman Kishor Makwana visited IIT Bombay on Thursday and held independent spot inquiry in the death of Sahil Wakode, an SC student pursuing his second year of B.Tech. in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering. The visit was undertaken in the backdrop of serious allegations raised by the family of the deceased regarding caste-based discrimination, harassment and the circumstances preceding the student's death. The matter is presently under investigation by the Mumbai Police Crime Branch.

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During the visit, Makwana held an extensive inquiry with the senior authorities of IIT Bombay, including the Director, Deputy Director, Registrar, concerned faculty members and other officials of the Institute. The Commission sought a detailed account of the sequence of events preceding the student's death, particularly the incident that occurred during the mid-semester examination on September 18, when the student was alleged to have been involved in academic malpractice. The Commission examined the circumstances in which the student was questioned during the examination, the procedure followed thereafter, the role of the concerned faculty and Institute authorities, and the institutional mechanisms available for addressing grievances and protecting the welfare of students belonging to Scheduled Castes.