IIT Bombay student’s death: Parents demand murder probe

Stating that Darshan’s death occurred under “suspicious circumstances”, his father Rameshbhai demanded that the FIR be loged under sections 302 (murder) and 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code.

Parents of Darshan Solanki, an 18-year-old engineering student of IIT Bombay, who allegedly committed suicide by jumping off the seventh floor of a hostel building in February, approached the Powai police station seeking that a case of murder be lodged.  

The police instead of filing an FIR into the case directed Rameshbhai, the father of Darshan, to go to the special investigation team (SIT) formed by the Maharashtra government to probe the death, The Indian Express reported.  

Stating that Darshan’s death occurred under “suspicious circumstances”, Rameshbhai demanded that the FIR be loged under sections 302 (murder) and 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code and under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.  

In a written complaint to the police, Rameshbhai said, “The incident is being projected as a suicide. Less than an hour before his death, my son had a conversation with me and informed me of his plans to go out with his wingmates. However, he was found dead on the campus. I am filing this complaint for the lodging of an FIR in the matter of the death of my son, as we suspect foul play.” 

The complaint claimed that the internal investigation by the IIT administration ignored various testimonies about caste discrimination, including the one given by Darshan’s sister Janvi, and other students, and reduced the matter to “a suicide on account of academic pressure”. 

“The SIT is formed but we demand an FIR so that caste-based discrimination against him can be investigated. We will continue to insist on FIR,” Rameshbhai told the mediapersons outside the police station. 

Read more: 

• NIFT hall ticket 2023 for situation test releases today 
• IIT Jodhpur celebrates 15 years of academic excellence 
• Will introduce mutiple entry-exit options, credit structure: BITS Pilani VC