IIT Bombay, one of India’s premier engineering institutes, was rocked when a 22-year-old man from Mangaluru, Bilal Ahmed Fayaz Ahmed Teli, was found living illegally on campus for 14 days while posing as a student. Campus security caught him on June 17 and handed him over to the Powai police.
The incident has raised serious security concerns, as Bilal managed to enter the campus undetected and stayed in student hostels and academic buildings for nearly two weeks. Authorities are investigating how he bypassed security and where he stayed overnight.
The case is being treated as a potential security threat, with police probing whether Bilal was involved in spying, gathering sensitive information, or working for a larger network. Officials have not ruled out the possibility that he was acting under someone else’s instructions.
The matter came to light on June 4, when Shilpa Kotikkal, an official from IIT Bombay’s CREST department, spotted an unfamiliar man entering her office. When she asked for ID, he fled. She then reviewed CCTV footage and alerted campus security, but despite their search, he remained at large.
On June 17, Shilpa spotted the same man sitting in Lecture Hall LH 101, blending in with students. Campus security guards Kishor Kumbhar and Shyam Ghodvinde promptly arrested him. During questioning, Bilal admitted to staying in multiple student hostels between June 2–7 and June 10–17. The campus houses around 13,000 students across undergraduate, master’s, and PhD programs.
Powai police have taken Bilal into custody. A senior official said, “Having someone live on campus undetected for two weeks is a significant security breach. We are investigating his background, motives, and possible contacts.”
A formal case has been registered under Sections 329(3) and 329(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act. Intelligence agencies have also been alerted to assess any wider security implications.
Officials continue to investigate why Bilal entered the campus without permission and who he might have been in contact with. One theory is that he gained access during an event and blended in with the student community unnoticed. The campus’s location next to Powai Lake, spanning 550 acres, may have facilitated unauthorised entry.
In response, IIT Bombay authorities have urged students and staff to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity immediately. This incident underscores the importance of maintaining strict security on large educational campuses.
