IIT Bombay student death: Crime Branch scans CCTV footage from exam hall, hostel
Mumbai Police are investigating the death of an IIT Bombay student who was found dead in his hostel room shortly after being accused of using ChatGPT during an exam. The case has been transferred to the Crime Branch as students protest for institutional reforms.
Why it matters
The incident highlights the intersection of academic pressure, mental health, and the evolving challenges posed by generative AI in educational settings.
The Mumbai Police Crime Branch has begun analysing CCTV footage from the examination hall, campus grounds, and hostel premises to trace the movements of student Sahil Wakode before he was found dead , an official said on Tuesday (September 22, 2026).
Wakode (22), a second-year B Tech student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, ended his life in his hostel room on the Powai campus on September 18 evening, hours after he was allegedly caught using a mobile phone to access ChatGPT during a mid-semester examination, as per officials.
The case was transferred to the Crime Branch on September 19 for further probe following widespread student protests on campus.
According to officials, CCTV cameras inside the examination hall captured Wakode's movements before a professor approached him and led him away from other students after he was allegedly caught copying.
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