Rahul Gandhi Calls Parents of IIT Bombay Student Sahil Wakode, Assures Help in Seeking Justice
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday (September 23, 2026) spoke to the parents of Sahil Wakode, an IIT Bombay student who was found dead in his hostel room last week, and assured them of all help in their fight for justice, party sources said.
Mr. Gandhi made a video call to Ravindra and Sonali Wakode while they were travelling to Mumbai from Washim district. The call lasted almost 17 minutes, during which he expressed solidarity with the family. Indian Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib and its Maharashtra unit chief Shivraj More were present with Sahil’s parents during the call, according to the sources.
Sahil Wakode, a student at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay, was found hanging in his hostel room on the evening of September 18, 2026. He was allegedly caught using a mobile phone to access ChatGPT during a mid-semester examination earlier that day.
The Mumbai Police Crime Branch is already conducting a probe into the death. An FIR has been registered alleging abetment to suicide on grounds of caste discrimination. Faculty member Suryanarayan Doolla, who is named in the FIR, has been sent on leave to facilitate an impartial investigation.
On Wednesday, some television channels aired CCTV footage from the examination hall that captured Sahil’s movements before a professor approaches him and leads him away from the hall after he was allegedly caught copying. The footage has been widely shared online, adding to the public outcry over the incident.
The parents have announced that they will go on an indefinite hunger strike in front of the IIT Bombay gate from 11 a.m. on Thursday (September 24, 2026). They are demanding a thorough investigation and justice for their son. The announcement has drawn support from various student organisations and civil society groups.
According to party sources, Mr. Gandhi assured Sahil’s parents that he was with them and would extend all possible support. The Congress leader’s intervention comes amid growing demands for accountability in the case. The party has demanded a fair and transparent investigation.
The incident has drawn national attention, raising questions about the treatment of students from marginalised communities in premier educational institutions and the pressures of academic environments. The investigation is ongoing, and no arrests have been made so far.
The Wakode family has been vocal about their demand for justice, alleging that their son was targeted because of his caste. The FIR names Doolla under provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, along with charges of abetment to suicide.
IIT Bombay has not issued a detailed statement on the matter. The institute earlier said it would cooperate with the investigation. The faculty member has been asked to stay away from campus during the probe.
The case has also sparked a debate on mental health support for students in high-pressure academic settings. Student groups have called for reforms to prevent such tragedies. The death has reignited discussions about the well-being of students in India’s premier institutes.
Rahul Gandhi’s outreach to the family is seen as part of the Congress party’s efforts to highlight issues of social justice and caste discrimination. The hunger strike by Sahil’s parents is expected to draw support from various quarters. The Mumbai Police have said they will maintain law and order while respecting the protesters’ rights.
