IIT Bombay student suicide: Protesting students begin hunger strike at Justice Corner

IIT Bombay students protesting for the last 15 days over the September 18 death of a second-year B.Tech student began a hunger strike at Justice Corner on Friday, demanding action from the institute and accountability from its administration. The hunger strike comes days after the student’s parents, who are also on hunger strike at Mumbai’s Azad Maidan, were denied police permission to continue their protest on weekends.

Their agitation began after a second-year B.Tech student was found dead in his hostel room on September 18 after allegedly being caught cheating during a mid-semester exam.

The students marched towards the main gate and raised demands including the resignation of IIT Bombay director Shireesh Kedare and professor Suryanarayana Doolla. According to the protesting students, the director did not meet them at the main gate to hear their concerns.

The students continued their protest through the night and held discussions among themselves on issues affecting student life on campus and presented an 18-point charter of demands to the administration, including an independent, transparent investigation into the student’s death, changes to the inquiry committee appointed by the institute, the resignation of IIT-B director Shireesh Kedare, and the suspension of professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who has been accused of caste-based discrimination by the deceased student’s parents.

The students said they believe that any change can begin only when the institute accepts its failures and takes responsibility. They alleged that although the director made promises during the initial meetings, the administration has not officially responded to their demands.

During the 14 days of protest, students have also held discussions on mental health, student-teacher relationships, placement pressure, evaluation systems and dealing with loss on campus. They said the protest has provided a space for students from different batches, departments and programmes to discuss issues affecting them.

The students said they will continue their struggle through the hunger strike. They said the decision was taken to highlight their demand for justice and accountability from the institute.

The deceased student’s parents also continued their hunger strike on Wednesday, remaining firm on their demand for the arrest of Kedare and Doolla. The parents’ advocate, Nikhil Kamble, said they would continue their hunger strike at Azad Maidan after getting permission from the police.

Meanwhile, more than 20 Ambedkarite organisations from India and abroad, including the Ambedkar Association of North America (AANA), have criticised the handling of the death of the Dalit student and demanded an independent investigation into the case.

In a letter submitted to the IIT-B administration, the organisations said the institute should issue an apology to the parents and the SC/ST community over its initial statement following the student’s death, which included unverified allegations. They also demanded that the institute withdraw its statement about the student’s conduct during the examination and that the inquiry be conducted by independent members, including SC/ST students, faculty members and external experts.

On Thursday, Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad wrote to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking urgent government intervention into the student’s death. She also demanded that the case be investigated on a fast-track basis.

In her letter, Gaikwad said the parents had made serious allegations of harassment and institutional pressure at IIT Bombay. She said a case had been registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, but alleged that no arrests had been made so far. She demanded immediate action against those found responsible.

Gaikwad also called for a statewide review of SC/ST protection mechanisms in medical and dental institutions in Maharashtra, saying the existing systems need to be made more effective.