IIT Bombay Student Death: Crime Branch Scans CCTV Footage, Family Demands Action Over Harassment

Bihar Police have arrested three minors in connection with the harassment and molestation of a minor girl in Jamui district. The incident took place around 6:30 pm on the evening of 19 September near the Marwa hill area, located roughly three kilometres off the Jamui-Lakhisarai main road, while the students were returning from a coaching class. Following the emergence and circulation of video footage online, police lodged an FIR under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, and the Juvenile Justice Act. A Special Investigation Team has been constituted to conduct a comprehensive probe into the case. Authorities confirmed that seven to eight individuals have been identified, with three apprehended and search operations underway to arrest the remaining suspects, including an older youth seen in the viral video footage. Takedown notices have also been issued by police against the circulated clips.

Delhi has witnessed four alleged sexual assault cases involving minors within a span of fourteen days, triggering concerns regarding women and child safety across the national capital. In Kalkaji's Astha Kunj Park, a 17-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by three men posing as police officers, leading to the arrest of prime suspect Asif following a police encounter in Amar Colony alongside two accomplices. Other reported incidents include the alleged sexual assault of a six-year-old girl on Deshbandhu Gupta Road under POCSO provisions, the assault of an 11-year-old inside a tailor shop in Sadar Bazar, and the gang-rape and murder of a 16-year-old in Saurabh Nagar. The opposition has raised questions against the Delhi Police and the government over law and order.

A controversy has emerged in Punjab over an alleged advisory asking police personnel not to wear their uniforms while travelling between their homes and police stations. The Punjab government and state police headquarters issued a clarification and fact check, stating that no diktat or advisory was given instructing personnel to avoid uniforms or conceal their identity during travel. Opposition leaders raised concerns over state law and order, citing recent attacks against police personnel in uniform, including incidents involving assistant sub-inspectors and two cops in Gurdaspur.

The Mumbai Police Crime Branch has launched a detailed investigation into the death of a second-year B.Tech student, Sahil, at IIT Bombay by scanning campus CCTV footage to reconstruct the sequence of events. The investigation focuses on recordings from the examination hall, campus grounds, and hostel areas from 18 September. The development comes amid intense campus unrest with opposing perspectives emerging. While protesters and the student's family demand justice along with an independent Central Bureau of Investigation probe into allegations of caste-based harassment, the IIT Bombay Faculty Forum and faculty from IIT Madras and IIT Delhi have come out in support of invigilator Professor Suryanarayan Dula. The faculty representatives maintain that prescribed examination procedures were strictly adhered to after suspected academic malpractice was observed, dismissing allegations of discrimination as baseless. Institute director Shirish Kedare continues dialogue with students to address concerns and resolve tensions on campus.