Mumbai police detain 25, including comedian, at candlelight vigil for IIT suicide victim
Around 25 people, among them stand-up comic Masoom Rajwani, were held by Mumbai Police during an unauthorized candlelight vigil for a deceased IIT Bombay student.
Mumbai Police intervened at a candlelight vigil held at Chaityabhoomi in Dadar, detaining roughly 25 attendees because the event did not have the required clearance. The list of detainees includes stand-up comedian Masoom Rajwani. Police also seized about 120 protesters at Shivaji Park who were demonstrating under the banner ‘Adivasi Gen Z’, raising the overall number of arrests to around 140.
The vigil was staged to protest the death of a second-year BTech student at IIT Bombay, who was found dead after being caught using a mobile phone during an exam. The student's parents claim the youngster faced caste-based discrimination and threats from faculty, prompting a case against professor Suryanarayana Doolla under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. IIT Bombay has denied any prior complaints or disciplinary action, while the family continues to demand a thorough investigation and political intervention.
Why it matters
The detentions highlight tensions over protest rights and ongoing concerns about alleged caste discrimination at a premier Indian institute.
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