IIT Bombay says hostel fan replacement predates Sahil Wakode’s death

IIT Bombay said replacement of ceiling fans with wall-mounted fans in hostels predates student Sahil Wakode’s death and is part of routine renovation. The move gained attention after his death, while NCP (SP) spokesperson Anish Gavande called for stronger suicide prevention measures

Mumbai: IIT Bombay has initiated the replacement of ceiling fans in hostel rooms with wall-mounted fans, sources said, adding that the move predates the death by suicide of BTech student Sahil Wakode last week.

An image of several wall-mounted fans arriving on the institute’s campus as part of “renovation work” has gone viral on social media.

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The Indian Institute of Technology initiated the move to replace the fans after a student died by suicide in July, but the issue gained renewed attention after 22-year-old Sahil’s death.

The replacement of the fans is part of routine renovation and maintenance work at the prestigious institute, the sources said.

The institute started installing wall-mounted fans in place of ceiling fans across hostels as part of a routine refurbishment plan that had been considered previously, they said.

Wall-mounted fans will be installed across all hostels on campus and in other utility areas, the sources said.

Sahil, a student in the Department of Energy Science and Engineering from Maharashtra’s Yavatmal district, was found hanging in his hostel room on the Powai campus on Friday evening after he was allegedly caught using a mobile phone to access ChatGPT during a mid-semester examination.

NCP (SP) spokesperson Anish Gavande said the replacement of fans cannot solve the student suicide crisis.

Gavande questioned whether replacing ceiling fans with wall-mounted fans could address the larger issue of student suicides and called for greater focus on suicide prevention and mental health support.

“Does IIT Bombay really think that replacing ceiling fans with wall fans will solve the suicide problem affecting IITs across the country?” Gavande said.

Gavande said more than 117 students had died by suicide at IITs over the last 20 years.