IIT-Bombay apologises for earlier statement on circumstances surrounding student’s death
IIT-Bombay has issued a formal apology for its initial public statements regarding the death of a student named Sahil. The institute admitted it was inappropriate to characterize the events surrounding the student's death before an official investigation was completed.
Why it matters
The case highlights the intersection of academic disciplinary procedures, student mental health, and allegations of systemic caste-based discrimination in elite Indian institutions.
Amidst ongoing student unrest, the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay on Monday (September 21, 2026) issued an apology for its earlier statements “concerning the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate demise of Sahil.”
The apology, made in a post on X, comes as the Mumbai Police has transferred the probe into the death of a second-year student at IIT-Bombay to the Crime Branch.
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. In view of…
The student, Sahil, was found dead in his hostel room on Friday (September 18, 2026) after a professor had reported him for possessing a phone during the examination. The professor, Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who was invigilating the exam, has been named in the FIR along with other institute officials.
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