New Delhi, Sep 21 (IANS) :IIT-Bombay on Monday refuted reports claiming that its Director, Shireesh B. Kedare, had resigned over the suicide of a student, stating that the reports were false. However, it confirmed that the institute had suspended Professor Suryanarayana Doolla from his position as Dean with immediate effect.
A few videos are also circulating on social media, purportedly showing the resignation of the IIT-Bombay Director.
IIT-Bombay, in a post on social media platform X, said, “Director IIT-Bombay has NOT resigned. We categorically state that the related news is false.”
In another post, the institute apologised for statements made in its earlier communication concerning the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate demise of student Sahil Wakode.
“We apologise for the statements contained in our earlier communication concerning the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate demise of Sahil. The details and circumstances leading up to the incident remain subject to investigation by the appropriate authorities,” the institute said.
“In view of the ongoing investigation, it was inappropriate to have set out or characterised details relating to the events preceding his demise before they had been duly established through the appropriate investigative process,” it added.
Meanwhile, IIT-Bombay Director Kedare said that Professor Doolla has been suspended from his position as Dean with immediate effect.
Doolla has been suspended only from his position as Dean. He was serving as Dean (Administrative Affairs).
He also assured that further action will be taken following an investigation.
Three days after students protesting at the IIT-Bombay refused to back down following Friday’s suicide on campus, the institute convened a special meeting of its Board of Governors on Monday to discuss the issues raised by the students and their demands.
During the meeting, students presented a list of 18 demands, including the resignation of Kedare. While the list was accepted, it remained unclear whether the Director would step down from his post.
For the past three days, students at IIT-Bombay’s Powai campus have been protesting against the administration following the suicide of a second-year BTech student, who was allegedly caught cheating during an examination on Friday.
The Mumbai Crime Branch has taken over the investigation into the suicide by IIT-Bombay student Wakode, with investigators focussing on examining his mobile phone for any suicide note or other digital evidence, as no such note was found in the hostel room.
Investigators are conducting a technical analysis of the seized device and inspecting the crime scene at Hostel No. 4 on the Powai campus to assess the available evidence and circumstances surrounding the September 18 incident.
Authorities are expected to issue summonses to individuals named in the FIR, including Professor Doolla, for questioning.
Earlier, the IIT-Bombay Faculty Forum expressed grief over Wakode’s death and extended its support to Professor Doolla, who was the course instructor and invigilator during the examination.
The Faculty Forum expressed deep sorrow over the student’s death and conveyed its condolences to his family, saying that its thoughts were with them during the difficult time.
