Mumbai: IIT Bombay has said it did not call the police to its campus on Oct 18, when students protesting over the death of second-year student Sahil Wakode were detained following a confrontation with police personnel at the main gate. It sent out an email to about 20-odd faculty members who demanded clarification from the institute over police action.In a communication addressed to professors, the institute said the incident began with a request from Sahil’s parents to visit the campus. The administration offered its condolences and support and consented to a visit by the parents alone, it said.The police presence, according to the institute, was part of the standard operating procedure for the visit of Congress MP Varsha Gaikwad and MLA Aslam Shaikh, which coincided with the parents’ visit.“Shortly before the MP and the parents arrived, the protesting students behaved aggressively towards police personnel and obstructed them from carrying out their duties,” the communication stated. The students involved were detained and released later.The institute also said it had collected the personal belongings left by students at the main gate on Sunday because they were obstructing the entrance. The items have been kept safely and will be returned to their owners through the institute’s standard lost-and-found procedure.
