Mumbai, Sep 24 — The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has postponed its mid-semester examination in the wake of the death of second-year student Sahil Wakode, the institute announced on Thursday.
In a statement, IIT Bombay said that the mid-sem exams that were earlier scheduled to be held on September 26-27 have been moved to October 10-11 (Saturday and Sunday), and the rescheduled exams will follow the same timetable.
On Wednesday, the institute said that classes had resumed at the IIT Powai campus, days after the purported suicide of Wakode triggered protests.
Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi spoke to Sahil's family over the phone and assured them of his support in their pursuit of justice, Maharashtra Congress said on Thursday.
According to the party's state unit, Gandhi expressed solidarity with the family and assured them of all possible support in seeking justice for Sahil.
Following Sahil’s death, his family has levelled serious allegations against the IIT Bombay administration and certain officials. The Mumbai Police Crime Branch is currently investigating the case.
The Youth Congress is also scheduled to hold a press conference on Thursday afternoon regarding the matter. The organisation is expected to announce its future strategy and the next course of action concerning the case.
The Mumbai Police on Wednesday said the investigation into Wakode’s death was being conducted impartially and that all possible angles were being examined. The police also appealed to people to refrain from spreading misinformation about the case.
Earlier, IIT Bombay Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who has been named in connection with Wakode's death, was sent on leave amid the ongoing investigation, sources said.
Wakode’s parents have demanded the immediate arrest of Doolla. A case has been registered against him on allegations including abetment to suicide and caste-based discrimination following the student’s death.
Wakode, a second-year B.Tech student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, was found hanging in his hostel room on the Powai campus on the evening of September 18. The incident took place hours after he was allegedly caught using a mobile phone during a mid-semester examination.