New Delhi, Sept. 24 -- The parents of IIT Bombay student Sahil Wakode, whose alleged suicide has led to accusations of caste discrimination, on Thursday began a hunger strike seeking action against their son's 'tormentors' while the institute deferred its mid-semester examinations amid the controversy and reissued an apology over an earlier statement.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has spoken to Sahil's parents and assured them all help in their fight to seek justice for their son, party sources said.

The institute postponed the mid-semester examinations scheduled for September 26-27 to October 10-11, an official said. It also reissued its apology over its earlier communication, which had indicated that Sahil died by suicide hours after a...