IIT Bombay Student Suicide: Chargesheet mentions fear, depression, study issues

MUMBAI: A chargesheet filed by Mumbai police in connection with the alleged suicide of Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) student Darshan Solanki stated that he had sought help from someone for improving his academic performance and also mentioned depression.

The special investigation team of police on Tuesday filed a chargesheet against Arman Khatri, a fellow student, who had allegedly threatened Solanki over a religious comment. Khatri, arrested for allegedly abetting suicide, is currently out on bail.

Solanki, a first-year student of B Tech (Chemical) course hailing from Ahmedabad, allegedly jumped to death from the seventh floor of a hostel building on IITB campus in suburban Powai on February 12, 2023, a day after the semester exams ended. Three weeks later, the SIT found a one-line note from Solanki's room saying “Arman has killed me”.

Police had said earlier that Khatri allegedly threatened to kill Darshan with a paper cutter after the latter had spoken `offensively' about religion. The investigators recorded the statements of 55 witnesses including students and professors, the chargesheet said. Most of the student witnesses lived on the same floor of the hostel as Solanki. Referring to certain phone chats between Solanki and Khatri, police said it was clear that Darshan was apologizing for the alleged communal remark he had made.

Also Read | IIT Delhi, education ministry to jointly organise mental wellness workshops today

Some witnesses spoke about Darshan shivering when Arman threatened him and others trying to comfort him, the chargesheet said. Solanki had told some witnesses that Khatri was influential and would not spare him, the chargesheet claimed. He wanted to leave Mumbai but was scared that Khatri would come after him even then, some witnesses allegedly told the SIT. On February 11 and 12 Solanki had fever, and his roommate gave him a blanket; it is assumed that he wrote the note mentioning Khatri on the back of a question paper before ending his life, the chargesheet said. It also mentioned that a few days before his death, Solanki had a chat with another person on social media and spoke about some family issues as well as issues with the studies. As per this conversation, he was unable to study well and did not score good marks which led to depression. He requested the other person for guidance for improving his marks, the chargesheet said.