IIT Bombay student suicide: Probe transferred to Crime Branch as kin allege foul play

Protests continue in Mumbai. Pics/Sameer Markande

The ongoing investigation into the suicide of an 18-year-old IIT Bombay student, who jumped to her death from her hostel's seventh floor on February 12, was transferred to Special Investigation Team (SIT), Mumbai Crime Branch on Monday.

The probe will be led by Lakhmi Gautam, joint commissioner of police, Mumbai Crime Branch. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime Branch) Krishnakant Upadhyay and Assistant Commissioner of Police Jai Prakash Bhosale are also part of the team, Mumbai Police said.

"The suicide case of an 18-year-old student of IIT Bombay transferred to SIT Crime Branch. Jt Commissioner of Police (crime) Lakhmi Gautam to lead the team. The student had jumped off the 7th floor of his hostel earlier this month. His family had alleged caste-based harassment," Mumbai Police said in a statement.

On February 12, the student, identified as 18-year-old Darshan Solanki jumped to his death from the seventh floor of his hostel.

Powai police registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) in the matter and launched further investigation.

Also Read: Mumbai: IIT Bombay launches parallel probe in student death case

Hailing from Ahmedabad, Darshan was pursuing BTech at the IIT Bombay in Mumbai.

As soon as the information about the suicide was received, the police reached the spot and took him to the hospital where the doctors declared him dead.

On February 13, Darshan's family claimed that he faced caste discrimination at IIT Bombay and they suspected some foul play behind his death. Later, his family demanded a probe by a Special Investigation Team (SIT).

On the day Darshan died, IIT Bombay issued a statement strongly refuting news reports that said the first-year B-Tech student was subjected to caste discrimination.

"It is wrong to make such accusations when the police are still investigating the case. Based on initial inputs from friends, there is no indication that the student faced any such discrimination. We request that such unfounded allegations not be spread," the institute said in the statement.

Solanki, Darshan's father, speaking to ANI, claimed that his son could not have taken his own life.

"He must have been harassed and I fear that he was killed," he added.

He alleged that darshan had complained about caste discrimination, but no one paid heed.

Darshan's sister Jahnvi also said the family is "100 per cent sure that he was murdered".

"First, they told us that Darshan met with an accident When our relatives reached Mumbai, they were told that he fell down the stairs. Later, we were told that he jumped off the 7th floor of his hostel. How can there be three different versions on his death?" Jahnvi said.

She said some students might have hit him on the head, which resulted in his death.

"We are 100 per cent sure he was murdered," she said, claiming that the police and the IIT Bombay management were making up a suicide story to shield the culprits.

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