The chargesheet in the Darshan Solanki case is out nearly three months after the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) student died by suicide. According to a certain section of the media, it had statements from 55 witnesses, including teachers and students. Solanki’s mother’s statement is included as part of the chargesheet filed by the city police before a special court for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
It has emerged that Solanki, during telephone conversations with his mother in December 2022, told her that the behaviour of fellow students changed when they learned about his caste, the chargesheet claimed. This was confirmed as much by both his aunt and sister.
Solanki shared his plight with his sister in January 2023 during Makar Sankranti holiday, the chargesheet added.
He said he was enjoying his studies, but mentioned he was always reminded about getting free education, a relative of Solanki told the police.
On February 12, he had a conversation with his mother on phone around 12.20 pm. He promised to visit home on February 14 and desired to invite relatives for a get-together, his mother informed the police. That wasn’t to be as two hours later, his father got a call informing him that Solanki had suffered a fall, his mother said in the statement.
The chargesheet has named fellow student Arman Khatri, now out on bail, for allegedly abetting Solanki’s suicide. Khatri reportedly threatened to kill Solanki after the latter spoke offensively about religion, the police said.
Vibes of India had reported in this space the unsettling reality of caste discrimination on campuses. Students from ST/SC backgrounds are perennially at a disadvantage owing to a lack of proficiency in the English language and restricted access to educational resources. What’s more, owing to the caste bias, they feel isolated and ostracised.
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