IIT Bombay, one of India’s top engineering institutes, was shaken when a man was found living on campus illegally for 14 days, pretending to be a student. The man, identified as 22-year-old Bilal Ahmed Fayaz Ahmed Teli from Mangaluru, Karnataka, was caught by campus security on June 17 and handed over to the local Powai police.
The discovery raised serious concerns about the institute’s security, as Bilal managed to enter the campus without being noticed and stayed inside student hostels and academic buildings for nearly two weeks. Authorities are now investigating how he slipped past security checks and where exactly he stayed during the nights.
The case is being treated as a potential security threat. Police are probing whether Bilal was involved in spying, gathering information, or working with a larger group. They haven’t ruled out the possibility that he was following orders from someone else.
The incident came to light on June 4 when Shilpa Kotikkal, an official from IIT Bombay’s CREST department, noticed a man entering her office who didn’t belong to the institute. When she asked for his ID, he ran away. She quickly pulled CCTV footage that captured his image and shared it with the campus security team, but despite a search, they couldn’t find him.
Things took a turn on June 17 when Shilpa spotted the same man sitting inside Lecture Hall LH 101, blending in with students. Campus security guards Kishor Kumbhar and Shyam Ghodvinde acted quickly and arrested him. During questioning, Bilal admitted to staying in multiple student hostels from June 2 to 7 and again from June 10 to 17. The campus is home to around 13,000 students across undergraduate, masters, and PhD programs.
Powai police have now taken Bilal into custody. A senior official commented, “Having someone live on campus for two weeks, entering halls and hostels without being detected, is a huge security concern. We are investigating his background, motives, and any contacts he may have.”
A formal case has been registered under Sections 329(3) and 329(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act. Intelligence agencies have been alerted to look into any wider security risks.
Officials are digging deeper to understand why Bilal entered the campus without permission. They are trying to find out who he contacted and what his plans were. One theory is that he might have entered during an event and managed to blend in with the student community unnoticed. Part of the 550-acre campus borders Powai Lake, which could have made unauthorized entry easier.
In light of this incident, IIT Bombay authorities are urging all students and staff to stay alert and report anything suspicious immediately. This episode serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance, especially in large campus environments.
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