The Mumbai Police Crime Branch is examining CCTV recordings from various parts of IIT Bombay as investigators work to establish the sequence of events preceding the death of 22-year-old student Sahil Ravindra Wakode.
Wakode, a second-year BTech student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering, was found dead in his hostel room on the institute’s Powai campus on September 18. The case was subsequently transferred to the Crime Branch amid protests by students on the campus.
Investigators are reviewing footage from the examination hall, campus pathways and hostel premises. The objective is to track Wakode’s movements and establish a detailed timeline between the examination and his return to his hostel room.
According to the Crime Branch, footage from the examination hall covering approximately 12:30 pm to 12:45 pm on September 18 is being examined. The recordings reportedly show Wakode looking towards something in his pocket while the examination was still underway. A professor subsequently approached him and questioned him before taking him away from the other students.
After leaving the examination hall, CCTV recordings from the campus reportedly show Wakode walking towards his hostel. Investigators are now comparing footage from different cameras to determine his movements after he left the examination venue. He was later seen entering his hostel room, after which investigators say there is no CCTV record of him leaving the room.
Police have clarified that the CCTV recordings being examined by the Crime Branch have not been officially released or shown to the public. The footage is currently being reviewed as part of the investigation.
The circumstances surrounding Wakode’s death have also triggered protests and demands for a detailed inquiry. His family has sought a comprehensive investigation and access to evidence including CCTV recordings and electronic data from his phone and laptop.
The controversy has also led to questions about the handling of the examination-related incident and the treatment of students. IIT Bombay has said that the circumstances of Wakode’s death remain under investigation, while the institute has also acknowledged concerns raised following the incident.
For now, the Crime Branch is continuing to piece together CCTV recordings and other evidence to establish what happened between Wakode’s examination and his death. The investigation has not yet reached a final conclusion about the circumstances leading to the tragedy.
