IIT-Bombay suicide: Mumbai Police arrest Dalit student’s batchmate

The Mumbai Police on Sunday arrested a batchmate of a Dalit student of the Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay who had died by suicide in February, PTI reported.

Arman Khatri, 19, was arrested on the charge of abetment to the suicide of Darshan Solanki on February 12.

Solanki was a first-year student in the Bachelor in Technology (Chemical) course at the institution. His family had claimed that he faced caste discrimination at the institute. However, an inquiry committee set up by IIT-Bombay had dismissed the claims and hinted at “deteriorating academic performance” as the reason for Solanki’s death.

On Sunday, the police said that a suicide note naming Khatri had been found in Solanki’s room. He was arrested after a handwriting analysis confirmed that the note had been written by Solanki.

The police said that Khatri had allegedly threatened Solanki with a cutter after the Dalit student had made some communal remarks, according to The Indian Express.

“Since then, Solanki was petrified and also apologised to Khatri on a couple of occasions and the two had hugged as well. However, it appears that Solanki continued to be scared,” an unidentified officer told the newspaper.

The officer stated that Khatri was not cooperating when asked about the reason that led to the fight between him and Solanki. “We arrested him so...

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