New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday met the parents of IIT Bombay students Sahil Wakode and Aniket Ambore, who committed suicide, and assured them of his support.
While Sahil, a backward-class student, died in September 2026, Aniket fell to his death from the sixth floor of his hostel in IIT Bombay in September 2014.
The parents of the two students also met Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge.
Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad, who accompanied the parents, later told reporters that they narrated the entire incident to Gandhi.
She said the discussion continued for 1.5 hours and Gandhi told the family that he stood with them and offered help from the Congress and himself.
She claimed that Sahil's death was an "institutional murder", alleging that there was a casteist atmosphere on the IIT campus in Mumbai.
"A presentation was given to him over IIT. In the last 13 months, four students died by suicide and this is a big issue. So far, 14 IIT Bombay students have died after committing suicide. This should be inquired into there should be justice to students so that there is no Sahil the next time..." she told reporters.
In a post on X, Gaekwad later said, "Both of them took detailed information about this matter and assured that the Congress party stands firmly behind them, and will work to deliver justice to this family."
Gaekwad alleged that the guilty are being protected.
IIT बॉम्बेमधील विद्यार्थी साहिल वाकोडे व अनिकेत अंभोरे यांच्या पालकासह काँगेस अध्यक्ष तथा राज्यसभेतील विरोधी पक्षनेते मा. श्री. मल्लिकार्जून खरगे जी आणि लोकसभेतील विरोधी पक्षनेते मा. श्री. राहुल गांधी जी यांची भेट घेतली. दोघांनीही या प्रकरणाची सविस्तर माहिती जाणून घेतली व काँग्रेस पक्ष त्यांच्या पाठीशी खंबीरपणे उभा आहे, या कुटुंबाला न्याय देण्याचे काम करु, असे आश्वासन देण्यात आले. IIT बॉम्बेमधील विद्यार्थी साहिल वाकोडेची संस्थात्मक हत्या करण्यात आली आहे. या प्रकरणी SC/ST ऍक्टनुसार गुन्हा दाखल झाला आहे पण संबंधित प्राध्यापकांना वाचवण्याचा प्रयत्न केला जात आहे. IIT बॉम्बे या संस्थेत मागासवर्गीय विद्यार्थ्यांवर अन्याय केला जात आहे, मानसिक छळ केला जात आहे. या संस्थेत जातीवाद फोफावला आहे, तो थांबला पाहिजे व भविष्यात कोणी साहिल वाकोडे होणार नाही यासाठी ठोस उपाययोजना केल्या पाहिजेत.
"In this case, a crime has been registered under the SC/ST Act, but efforts are being made to protect the concerned professors.
"In this institution, IIT Bombay, backward class students are being subjected to injustice and mental harassment. Casteism is rampant in this institution; it must be stopped, and concrete measures must be taken to ensure that no one else becomes another Sahil Wakode in the future," she said in her post.
Gaekwad earlier called for justice for Sahil's family and said that even though an FIR has been registered, no action has yet been taken to arrest the concerned professor.
She said a delegation of the Mumbai Congress, along with Sahil's parents, met with Police Director General Sadaanand Date and demanded immediate action.