Twenty-two students of IIT Bombay, including eight who were allegedly detained twice in a single day, were taken into police custody from inside the campus on Sunday amid protests seeking justice for deceased student Sahil Wakode, according to student bodies.
Student groups accused the police of using excessive force during the crackdown, alleging that protesters were kicked, choked and had their clothes torn. They also claimed that female students were subjected to inappropriate touching and physical assault. All the detained students were reportedly taken to the Powai police station.
The police and IIT Bombay administration had not issued detailed official statements addressing the detentions and allegations of excessive force at the time of reporting.
Students have been staging protests near the IIT Bombay gates in Powai for around a month, demanding accountability over the death of 22-year-old Sahil Wakode. The agitation has included a 15-day hunger strike, with protesters raising allegations of caste discrimination and institutional apathy.
Wakode, a second-year BTech student, was found dead in his hostel room on September 18. He had allegedly been caught cheating during a mid-semester examination. His death was reported as an alleged suicide.
Sunday marked one month since his death. Students had planned a memorial gathering and a mashal juloos, or torchlight procession, to pay tribute to him.
According to student representatives, police entered the campus in large numbers on Sunday morning and initially detained several protesters before briefly releasing them.
The students later assembled again at the protest site alongside Wakode's grieving parents to pay their respects, they said.
Protesters alleged that campus security personnel and police subsequently dismantled the protest site and forcibly removed those participating in the demonstration.
The alleged use of force against students, including the claims of physical assault and inappropriate touching of female protesters, triggered further anger among student groups.
Demonstrators also questioned the presence of police inside the campus and demanded clarification from the IIT Bombay administration over who had authorised their deployment.
The allegations could not be independently verified, and an official response from the authorities was awaited.
Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad and representatives of several Ambedkarite organisations reached the protest site following the detentions.
They joined the demonstration and demanded an immediate meeting with the Chairperson of IIT Bombay's Board of Governors and the institute's Director.
Student groups continued to press for accountability over Wakode's death and sought answers from the institute administration regarding their concerns over caste discrimination and the handling of the case.
Wakode's parents have been continuing their hunger strike at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai, demanding accountability and action from the IIT Bombay administration.
They have accused Professor Suryanarayana Doolla of harassment and caste-based discrimination. Earlier this month, the police questioned Doolla for nearly 10 hours in connection with the alleged suicide.
The allegations against the professor remain allegations, and the outcome of the investigation was not immediately available.
With students continuing their agitation and the latest detentions intensifying tensions on campus, protesters are demanding a response from the institute's leadership and accountability in the wake of Wakode's death.