Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar College professor Sujeet Kumar on Friday claimed that he was slapped by Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) joint secretary Deepika Jha and assaulted by Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members inside the principal’s office on Thursday, in the presence of Delhi Police personnel.
Sujeet Kumar, who serves as the convenor of the college’s disciplinary committee, alleged that the attack took place during a meeting called to discuss a recent scuffle between student groups.
“The day before yesterday, we had a fresher’s function at our college. The principal was going to the VC (vice chancellor) office and handed over the charge to me…During the function, some students thrashed the college’s elected president. Upon complaining, I tried to make them understand, but they started fighting again in my presence. A teacher named Rakesh Yadav began taking the side of students who belonged to the ABVP. Police came and saved me as I was surrounded by many students,” Kumar told news agency ANI.
He further claimed that after the intervention, he was “pressured” to resign. “In the principal’s office, they pressured me to resign, and I did. After that, a student named Deepika came and slapped me, as captured in the video clip,” he said.
A 32-second video of the alleged incident, taken from what appears to be from the CCTV camera in the room, shows the teacher sitting on the sofa, next to Deepika Jha, involved in a discussion with several unidentified people, HT reported earlier.
At least four Delhi Police personnel are also visible. As the discussion appears to turn heated, Jha stands up and appears to slap Kumar. A female cop then pulls Jha away and seats her at a distance. Meanwhile, as the teacher tries to get up in response, he is pushed back into the seat by an unidentified man.
HT could not independently verify the video.
A senior police officer earlier said, “We have received the complaint late evening. The video has been seen by investigators. They are obtaining CCTV footage now. The matter is being inquired into.”
The exact circumstances of the events leading up to the incident were not immediately clear. The incident being discussed at the meeting allegedly took place at a college event where oath taking ceremony of the student college council was taking place on Wednesday.
A DU professor, on the condition of anonymity, said, “A student from the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) had won the president post in the college student council, and two other posts had been won by the ABVP. The NSUI student had allegedly been assaulted by ABVP members, and he had lodged a complaint against them.”
Speaking to HT, Jha admitted that she had slapped the teacher but said it was because he verbally abused her and was allegedly “staring” at her and “smirking”.
“Day before yesterday, we were called for the oath-taking ceremony of the student council. During that, a NSUI person was on stage, but he was not a student representative so some ABVP students put in a simple complaint to the principal. However, there was an incident of threatening with one of the complainants. That is why we were there to speak to the concerned professor.”
“However, during the interaction, when I told him that I saw him smoking in public and that does not leave a good impression on students, he verbally abused me. He had also been staring at me and smirking, even after I had told him that I was not comfortable. When he verbally abused me, I slapped him which I should not have done,” she added.
Kumar, a commerce professor at the college, contested Jha’s account, adding that ABVP members barged into the Thursday meeting uninvited.
“There was an oath-taking ceremony of the college student council on Wednesday. Our college students do not vote for the DUSU but have a college student council. Three posts on that council were unopposed and occupied by ABVP members. A student from the NSUI had won the president post,” he said.
He further added, “About a month ago, this same NSUI kid was beaten up by ABVP members because he wanted to contest for the post. We got a video of the same, and I suspended three students affiliated to the ABVP till September 30. Now, on Wednesday, during the event, one of the students who had been suspended beat up the NSUI student in front of me and other committee members.”
Meanwhile, the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) have written a letter to the university vice chancellor, demanding action in the case.