IIT Student Death: Former RS member Bhalchandra Mungekar demands formation of SIT

MUMBAI: Former Rajya Sabha member and ex-Vice Chancellor of Mumbai University Dr Bhalchandra Mungekar on Wednesday demanded that a special investigation team be set up to probe the alleged suicide of a Dalit IIT-Bombay student. He was speaking to reporters here.

"Darshan Solanki's family members have already alleged that he faced caste discrimination during his first semester. It should be probed thoroughly," Mungekar said.

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“Various like-minded organisations will gather at Azad Maidan here in Mumbai on March 4 and protest in support of an SIT and action against those involved in his death,” he said.

Darshan's father is also going to participate in the March 4 protest, Mungekar added.

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“The police carried out post mortem without any permission from his parents and they even did it before they arrived here in Mumbai. The entire case is being suppressed when there is enough evidence that Darshan faced caste-based discrimination,” he said.

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“It is not an accidental case, but institutional murder. The FIR should be filed with sections from SC-ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act,” the former RS member demanded.