IIT Bombay professor Suryanarayana Doolla sent on leave amid Sahil Wakode death controversy: Report
Mumbai/IBNS: IIT Bombay Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, who is at the centre of the controversy surrounding the alleged suicide of second-year student Sahil Wakode, has been sent on leave by the institution, NDTV reported.
The report said Doolla was on Monday removed as the Dean of Administrative Affairs following protests by students over the case.
A case has been registered against Doolla on charges including alleged abetment and caste discrimination.
He is likely to appear before the police on Wednesday.
Wakode was a second-year student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering at IIT Bombay.
Faculty members back Doolla
Earlier, the IIT Bombay Faculty Forum had backed Doolla amid the controversy, saying he was performing his duties as an examination invigilator in accordance with institutional procedures and norms.
Faculty members also staged a protest and held a march on the campus in support of Doolla following his removal from the administrative post.
The IIT Madras Faculty Association also issued a statement supporting Doolla while expressing condolences to Wakode's family.
Student allegedly used ChatGPT during exam
According to IIT Bombay, Wakode was allegedly found using his mobile phone during an examination and had uploaded the question paper to ChatGPT to seek answers.
Doolla was the course instructor and invigilator during the examination.
The institute said Wakode was subsequently counselled by the instructor and the Head of the Department. IIT Bombay maintained that he was assured that the incident would not adversely affect his academic career and that no disciplinary action had been initiated against him at that stage.
Wakode later returned to his hostel room, where he was found dead.
Students demand transparency
Wakode's death triggered protests at the IIT Bombay campus, with hundreds of students demanding greater transparency from the institute over the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The protesters alleged that Wakode had been threatened with a one-year suspension and that this could have forced him to vacate the hostel.
IIT Bombay, however, has maintained that no disciplinary action had been initiated against him.
Doolla's academic background
Doolla's academic work focuses on power systems, smart grids, microgrids, renewable-energy integration and power-electronics control.
Family alleges harassment, caste discrimination
Wakode's family has alleged that he faced harassment and caste discrimination. The allegations form part of the case registered in connection with his death.
The circumstances surrounding Wakode's death and the allegations against Doolla remain under investigation.
Support Our Journalism
We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism
IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.
Support objective journalism for a small contribution.
