Bhalchandra Mungekar, a former Rajya Sabha member, has called for the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in response to the death of a student at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).

At a press conference, former Rajya Sabha member and ex-Vice Chancellor of Mumbai University Dr Bhalchandra Mungekar called for the formation of a special investigation team to investigate the suicide of IIT-Bombay’s Dalit student Darshan Solanki. Mungekar cited the claims of Solanki’s family that he experienced caste prejudice during his first semester as a reason for why the case should be thoroughly probed.

On March 4, many similar groups will assemble at Azad Maidan in Mumbai to demonstrate their backing for the creation of a Special Investigation Team and action against those associated with his passing, Mungekar said. Darshan’s father will also be present at the rally on the fourth of March.

The police conducted an autopsy without consent from Darshan’s parents and before they had arrived in Mumbai. The incident is being concealed despite the evidence suggesting that Darshan encountered discrimination due to his caste. The former RS member argued that this is not a case of mere accident, but rather an institutional homicide. He proposed that the FIR should include sections from the SC-ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.