SC/ST Act invoked against IIT Bombay prof as parents allege 3 months of caste abuse

Mumbai Police have registered a case of abetment to suicide against IIT Bombay professor Suryanarayan Dulla following the death of a second-year student, with two other accused left unidentified in the FIR, police sources said.

The case was registered on a complaint by the student's father, who has alleged that his son faced caste-based abuse, threats and mental harassment over the past three months. The complaint names Dulla and alleges that he subjected the student to casteist abuse at the direction of IIT Bombay Director Shireesh B Kedare.

Police have also invoked provisions of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, along with provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to abetment to suicide and joint liability.

The investigation has been transferred to the Mumbai Police Crime Branch.

The student was found dead in his hostel room on the IIT Bombay campus on Friday evening, hours after an examination-related incident. According to the institute, he was found using a mobile phone during the examination and had uploaded the question paper on ChatGPT to seek answers.

IIT Bombay said no disciplinary action was initiated against him and that he was counselled by the instructor and Head of Department and assured that the incident would not affect his academic career.

The student's death triggered a protest by more than 400 students on campus. Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding his death.  (with inputs from media organisations)