IIT Bombay on Monday clarified that Director Prof Shireesh B. Kedare has not resigned, calling reports of his resignation false, while also apologising for its earlier communication on the circumstances surrounding the death of second-year student Sahil Ravindra Wakode.
The institute said the details leading up to Wakode's death remain subject to investigation and that it was inappropriate to characterise events preceding his demise before they were established through the investigative process.
The clarification came a day after Kedare told protesting students that he would resign, but would have to follow the formal process and convey his decision after a meeting on Monday.
IIT Bombay removed Prof Suryanarayana Doolla from the post of Dean, officials said, according to PTI. The institute has also apologised for disclosing the student's alleged use of AI before an investigation into the matter had begun, PTI reported.
The developments came amid protests over Wakode's death, earlier the institute announced that Dean of Student Affairs Prof Suryanarayana Doolla had been suspended with immediate effect and that further action would follow an investigation.
The IIT Bombay Board was scheduled to meet on Monday to discuss the issue. The institute's administration had also agreed to 18 demands put forward by the protesters during a meeting.
The students had demanded accountability and transparency from the administration following Wakode's death. Police personnel were deployed on campus as discussions between the students and the administration continued.
