'Institutional Murder': Caste Discrimination Angle Surfaces in Suicide Case of IIT-Bombay Student

In the alleged suicide case of an 18-year-old IIT-Bombay student that surfaced on Monday morning, now, a caste discrimination angle has emerged. According to an initial investigation, a student group has claimed that he was driven to suicide due to discrimination against Scheduled Caste students on the campus.

Darshan Solanki, the IIT-B student who allegedly committed suicide, was a first-year student of the B.Tech (Chemical) course, who belonged to Ahmedabad. He joined IIT Bombay three and a half months ago.

According to Mumbai police, the incident came to light around 1 pm after security guards on the campus spotted the youth lying in a pool of blood at a hostel building inside the IIT campus in Powai.

The APPSC (Ambedkar Periyar Phule Study Circle) IIT Bombay flagged the caste discrimination angle being probed in the alleged suicide case. Taking to Twitter, the student group termed the incident as an “institutional murder”

“We owe a collective responsibility towards the family of the deceased. As a society, as an institution, what do we celebrate and what do we marginalize?” APPSC said in a tweet.

In its statement, APPSC also said, “It is no hidden fact that students from the SC/ST community face immense harassment and discrimination on the campus from students, faculties and employees.”

IIT-Bombay Director Subhasis Chaudhuri released a note that read, “We regret to inform the loss of a first-year student in a tragic incident this afternoon. We deeply mourn the death of the student and pray that the family gets the strength to bear this loss. May his soul rest in peace.”

The deceased had not left any suicide note and prima facie suggests that he jumped from the refuge areas of the hostel building, police added. “Based on the primary information, we have registered a case of accidental death. Further investigation is underway,” said senior police inspector Budhan Sawant.

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