The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay is currently facing scrutiny following the death by suicide of Sahil Wakode, a second-year BTech student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering. Mr. Wakode was discovered deceased in his campus accommodation on a Friday evening, hours after he had been accused of academic misconduct.

The incident has brought Professor Suryanarayana Doolla into focus. Professor Doolla serves as both the Dean of Administrative Affairs and the Head of the Department of Energy Science and Engineering. In the wake of Mr. Wakode's death, students at the institute initiated protests, prompting a series of clarifications regarding their stance.

Student representatives have explicitly stated that their actions are not intended to condone cheating or to justify academic dishonesty in any form. Instead, they have emphasised that their concerns stem from a desire to address broader systemic issues within the institution that they believe were highlighted by the tragic event. Furthermore, the students have clarified that they do not presume Professor Doolla's guilt in the matter.

A key demand from the student body was the temporary removal of Professor Doolla from his duties. This measure, they asserted, was crucial to ensure an impartial and independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mr. Wakode's death. In response, IIT Bombay has temporarily relieved Professor Doolla of his responsibilities as Dean (Administrative Affairs). He continues to serve as a faculty member and remains the head of the Department of Energy Science and Engineering.

Conversely, faculty members from IIT Bombay, alongside colleagues from IIT Delhi and IIT Madras, have expressed support for Professor Doolla. They have collectively stated that he was merely fulfilling his professional obligations in the context of the initial incident. Students have maintained that the issues arising from this tragedy should remain student-led and be resolved internally within the institute's framework.