IIT Delhi Director Flags Threatening Slogans
IIT Delhi Director Rangan Banerjee has warned of disciplinary action against students accused of disrupting the peaceful functioning of the campus amid ongoing protests following the death of a 31-year-old MSc Physics student.
In an email to students on Friday, Banerjee said the protest had escalated significantly on Thursday night, with demonstrations extending to residential areas of the institute. He alleged that a group of protesters used “unsavoury, humiliating and threatening” language while raising slogans outside faculty housing.
The director said such conduct affects the safety, privacy and peace of faculty members and their families, including children and elderly residents.
Protests Enter Fifth Day
The demonstrations began after the death of Rishikesh Kumar, an MSc Physics student who died on August 22 after allegedly falling from the sixth floor of IIT Delhi’s Lecture Hall Complex.
Students began protesting on August 24, demanding greater accountability and an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death. The agitation has since expanded beyond the immediate case, with students also raising concerns about student welfare and mental health support at the institute.
IIT Delhi Warns of Disciplinary Action
Banerjee said the institute would take disciplinary action against individuals found to be disrupting academic activities, classes, residential areas or other campus functions.
The warning comes as tensions between the administration and protesting students continue. While the institute has acknowledged the students’ grief and concerns, the administration has also stressed the need to maintain safety and peaceful functioning on campus.
Students Continue to Demand Independent Probe
Students have questioned whether the institute’s existing inquiry mechanism is sufficient and have continued to call for an independent investigation.
IIT Delhi has constituted a five-member committee headed by Justice Mukta Gupta, a retired Delhi High Court judge. The panel also includes AIIMS psychiatry department head Pratap Sharan, two student representatives and IIT Delhi Registrar Atul Vyas.
However, protesting students have argued that their concerns extend beyond the circumstances of Kumar’s death. They have also highlighted the deaths by suicide of other students at the institute since 2023.
Director Calls Student Death a Wake-Up Call
Banerjee has described Kumar’s death as a “wake-up call” for the institute and said the administration understands that students are grieving and angry.
The director has also indicated that the institute is looking at reforms while maintaining that there are differences between the administration and students over how the issues should be addressed.
Police Investigation Also Underway
Separately, Delhi Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding Kumar’s death. An abetment-to-suicide case has been registered against unidentified persons.
The police investigation and the IIT Delhi committee’s inquiry are separate processes and are expected to examine different aspects of the incident.
IIT Delhi Protest Puts Student Welfare Under Spotlight
The continuing protests have brought renewed attention to mental health, student welfare and grievance-redressal mechanisms at premier educational institutions.
While the administration has called for peaceful protests and adherence to campus rules, students continue to seek greater transparency and accountability following Kumar’s death.
The situation remains closely watched as the institute attempts to address student concerns while ensuring that academic and residential activities continue without disruption.