Mumbai, Sept. 22 -- Socio-political activist and columnist Sudheendra Kulkarni, an alumnus of IIT Bombay, on Tuesday called for an impartial investigation into the death by suicide of student Sahil Ravindra Wakode and extended solidarity with Professor Suryanarayana Doolla, urging IIT alumni and faculty members to oppose what he described as the "misuse" of the SC/ST Act.

In an appeal addressed to the alumni community of all IITs and former faculty members, Kulkarni said every student suicide was a matter of profound pain, but argued that the circumstances following Sahil's death had raised concerns about the principle of "innocent until proven guilty".

"Let's stop the misuse of the SC/ST Act at IITs -- and everywhere in India. Let's st...