4 min readMumbaiUpdated: Sep 22, 2026 06:23 PM IST
Students protest against the suicide of Sahil Wakode, a second-year student of IIT Bombay inside the IIT-B Powai campus in Mumbai on 19 September 2026.
(Express photo by Sankhadeep Banerjee)
Two days after IIT-Bombay second-year student Sahil Wakode died by suicide after allegedly being caught using his mobile during his exam, CCTV footage from the 12.30 pm to 12.45 pm window has emerged, purportedly showing Professor Suryanarayana Doolla asking the student to leave the examination hall. Sources said the CCTV footage is likely to be crucial to the police investigation. The Crime Branch team led by ACP Dharamveer Bansod will later analyse the footage.
WHY IT MATTERS
The footage matters because it's the only apparent objective record of what happened that afternoon - it can show whether the professor's confrontation was routine or unusually harsh/public, corroborate or contradict claims of caste-based targeting, and pin down the timeline between the exam-hall incident and Wakode's death, which investigators need to establish intent and any abetment.
A source said, “There are CCTV cameras in the classrooms and lobbies in the IIT campus that have captured the incident which took place in the exam hall. Between 12.30 and 12.45 pm, just minutes before the paper was to end at 1 pm, it can be seen that the student in question is bending a bit and peeping at something in his pocket. It can be seen in the footage that the professor is seen questioning him about the same. He later takes him to the side, away from other students.”
The source said Wakode was then seen outside the examination hall and, by around 1.25 pm, entering his hostel room, according to CCTV footage from the lobby. “After that the child did not leave his room, and later it came to light that he had died by suicide,” the source said.
On Monday, the Crime Branch team led by Bansod searched Wakode’s hostel room and conducted a panchnama.
“In an earlier case of student suicide at IIT, the suicide note was not found by the local police and was recovered only later from a book in the room. We want to ensure nothing of this sort happens this time. So far, no suicide note has been found,” the official said.
⠀
The official added that no summons had been issued so far and that, in the initial days of the probe, the team would collect all paperwork from Powai police, where the FIR was initially registered. “We have also taken CCTV camera footage and other relevant stuff from his room,” the official added.
The Crime Branch will register an FIR in the IIT Bombay student suicide case after it’s transferred from Powai police. Earlier, the Powai police had registered an FIR under charges of abetment to suicide and relevant sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, naming Suryanarayan Doolla among others, based on a complaint by Wakode’s father Ravindra.
Story continues below this ad
In his complaint, Ravindra has alleged that Doolla subjected Sahil to caste-based discrimination for the past three months, allegedly on the instructions of the IIT-Bombay Director.
If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out. These lines are staffed by trained volunteers or professionals and calls are typically confidential.
Mohamed Thaver is a highly specialized journalist with the Expertise and Authority required to report on complex law enforcement and legal issues. With a career dedicated to the crime beat for over a decade, his work provides readers with informed and trustworthy insights into Maharashtra's security and justice systems.
Experience & Authority
Core Focus: Has been exclusively covering the crime beat for over a decade, building deep, specialized knowledge in the field.
Geographical Authority: Currently focuses heavily on law enforcement and policy in Maharashtra, providing authoritative coverage of the state's security apparatus.
Key Beats:
Law Enforcement: Reports on the operations of the Maharashtra Police and the Mumbai Crime Branch.
Policy & Administration: Covers the Maharashtra Home Department, focusing on policy matters related to handling law and order and the evolution of the police force.
Judiciary: Has significant past experience covering the courts, giving him a comprehensive understanding of the entire criminal justice process from investigation to verdict.
Specialized Interest (Cyber & Forensics): Demonstrates Expertise in modern investigative techniques, with a keen focus on cyber crime and forensics, reporting on how these technologies assist complex crime investigations.
Content Focus: His reports revolve around police probes, the evolution of the force, and state policy, ensuring his content is highly relevant and detailed.
Credentials & Trustworthiness
Mohamed Thaver’s long-standing specialization in the crime beat—combined with his focus on technological aspects like cyber crime and his direct coverage of major institutions like the Mumbai Crime Branch and the Maharashtra Home Department—underscores his Trustworthiness and status as an expert source for detailed and reliable journalism on law and order.
He tweets @thaver_mohamed ... Read More
⠀