The SIT is deliberately covering up the larger issue of caste discrimination, which caused my son to end his life,” said Ramesh Solanki, the father of 18-year-old Dalit student Darshan Solanki who was found dead on the IIT Bombay campus in February. The deceased’s immediate family and economist and ex-MP Bhalchandra Mungekar addressed media persons in the city on Thursday. Ramesh Solanki, his wife Tarlika and daughter Janhvi alleged that caste discrimination was the main issue but the system and SIT were overlooking it.

The deceased’s father said, “It has been three months since the death of my son Darshan Solanki, a first-year BTech student who was facing severe caste discrimination. Despite that, the Powai police registered an accidental death report (ADR) instead of an FIR. Later, with public pressure mounting and amid demands that a special investigation team (SIT) be formed to investigate the matter, the Maharashtra government formed a three-member SIT. We are in anguish and concerned about the continuous sidelining of the incidences of caste discrimination.”