IIT Delhi Students Reject Admin Claims of Threatening Slogans Outside Faculty Homes
Students protesting the death of an IIT Delhi student at the campus in New Delhi have rejected allegations by the institute's administration that protesters raised unsavoury, humiliating, and threatening slogans outside faculty residences.
The denial came after IIT Delhi Director Rangan Banerjee sent an email to all students warning of disciplinary action. In his email, the director stated that the situation escalated significantly on Thursday night between 10:30 pm and 12:30 am, when a group of demonstrators entered campus residential zones, staged protests directly in front of faculty housing, and used threatening language in their slogans.
Rejecting the administration's claims, the protesting students stated that their march did not enter the faculty residential area. Instead, they said the demonstration paused briefly outside the gate before moving toward the main entrance. The students maintained that their chants were peaceful appeals to professors to stand in solidarity with their demands for institutional accountability and transparency, using slogans such as, "Come out, professors. Come and support us."
The students also said the demonstration was held strictly on main transit roads and deliberately avoided entering residential hostel premises, including the vicinity of Kailash and Himadri hostels. They noted that hospital and medical facilities were kept clear throughout the march to ensure emergency access and patient care remained unhindered.
The ongoing agitation began on August 22 following the death of a student and has continued despite the institute constituting an inquiry committee. Protesters are demanding the resignation of the dean of students' welfare, an independent investigation into alleged institutional lapses, Rs 1 crore in compensation for Kumar's family, and an assurance that no disciplinary action will be taken against participating students.
Additionally, the protesters accused the administration of responding with excessive measures, alleging disproportionate police deployment and continuous audio-visual surveillance despite the demonstration remaining peaceful.
