IIT Bombay student suicide: Father alleges caste discrimination, appeals for strict action
Mumbai, Sep 19 (IANS) Father of the deceased second-year student of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, on Saturday, alleged that “caste-based discrimination” and “torture” led his son to commit suicide, while appealing to the government to take strict action against those responsible for the incident.
The student was found dead in the IIT Powai campus on Friday evening. This reportedly happened after he was caught using a mobile phone during an examination by the authorities. His death a few hours after that incident triggered protests by students on the institute’s Powai campus.
Speaking to IANS, the student’s father Ravindra Wakode said: “I appeal for a thorough investigation of those who pushed him towards suicide through torture and caste discrimination. I urge the government to ensure justice for my child by terminating those responsible for this incident.”
He claimed that the student was depressed due to “torture” at the campus.
“I could see it in his behavior that because of the torture he faced, he was pushed into depression,” he said.
Ravindra Wakode added: “There was no conversation at all (with the student). We only tried to make our child understand, telling him to push through this time, that his career would turn out fine. But now, we are the ones suffering the loss. Whoever is responsible for his death must be punished severely. My only request to the government is that prompt action be taken immediately against those responsible.”
Meanwhile, students at IIT Bombay blamed the institute’s administration for “mishandling” the purported academic malpractice.
A student told IANS, “The system didn’t understand the mindset of the student, that he is a child after all. If there’s any truth to the allegation of academic malpractice…if there had been a warning, he wouldn’t have been so terrified as to take his own life. So somewhere, the way this situation was handled was completely wrong.”
“Somewhere there was insensitive behaviour from the administration due to which he took his life,” he claimed.
Another student at the institute added: “The IIT Bombay administration shouldn’t have pressurised him; they should have handled his mental state with care and considered what he was going through.”
Reacting to the incident, Union Minister of State Raksha Khadse assured strict action.
“Whatever the cause was or whatever issues took place there, the government will make every possible effort to investigate thoroughly and take appropriate action,” she told reporters.
–IANS
cg/dan
