On CCTV, ABVP member ‘slaps’ Delhi University teacher in front of cops

The incident took place at a meeting of the college’s disciplinary committee. ABVP members allegedly entered the meeting uninvited.

A teacher of Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar College was allegedly slapped by Delhi University students’ union (DUSU) joint secretary Deepika Jha and assaulted by members of Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) during an argument on Thursday, in the presence of Delhi Police personnel.

A screengrab from a video of the alleged incident. (Screencrab)

A senior police officer said that a complaint has been received in the matter and they were examining the issue.

The incident took place at a meeting of the college’s disciplinary committee of which the teacher, Sujit Kumar, is the convenor. The meeting was about a recent incident of violence when ABVP members had allegedly assaulted other students, according to a statement by the Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF). ABVP, of which Jha is also a member, allegedly entered the meeting uninvited.

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 Jha, involved in a discussion with several unidentified people. 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 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 National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) had won the president post in the college student council and two other posts had been won by ABVP. The NSUI student had allegedly been assaulted by ABVP members and he had lodged a complaint against them.”

Speaking to HT, Jha, meanwhile 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 DUSU but have a college student council. Three posts on that council were unopposed and occupied by ABVP members. A student from 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 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.”

“Now on Thursday, we were having a meeting and also a Diwali celebration and lunch when about 50-60 ABVP students barged into the college uninvited and were trying to create a ruckus. I called the police but DUSU president Aryan Maan and DUSU joint secretary Deepika Jha got inside the principal office and forced me to write a resignation from the convenor post, which I did because I did not want to get beaten up. They further asked the principal to suspend me from the post saying that I had smoked outside the college campus. Finally, despite the police asking Jha to not sit beside me, she did and finally slapped me while arguing, as seen in the video,” he added

DU VC Yogesh Singh did not respond to HT’s request for comment.

Meanwhile, the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) have written a letter to the university vice chancellor, demanding action in the case.

“We are deeply shocked to learn that a senior teacher at B.R. Ambedkar College has been slapped and assaulted by a group of students inside the college premises, while he was performing his duty. The violence in any form is completely unacceptable in a democratic institution. This is an assault on the dignity of a teacher. We strongly condemn this incident. Such an aggression and assault against a teacher inside the college building creates a sense of fear and insecurity among the University community, especially the teaching fraternity,” the letter said.

The letter further added, “We, therefore, request you to enquire into this whole incident and take immediate and exemplary action against the students involved in this act of violence. The stringent action will send a clear message against indiscipline and lawlessness.”

In a statement, NSUI also demanded action, saying, “Despite clear CCTV footage capturing the incident, no action has yet been taken against the culprits. Such behaviour inside university campus — especially directed towards a senior professor — is a disgrace to the academic community and exposes the culture of intimidation being promoted by ABVP within educational institutes.”

In its official response to the incident, later released by the ABVP, Jha also claimed Kumar was drunk and apologised for the incident. Kumar “had once again come to the college under the influence of alcohol. In that moment of distress, I reacted impulsively, for which I sincerely express regret,” she added.

Rudrashish Chakraborty, associate professor at Kirori Mal College, said, “What happened in Bhim Rao Ambedkar College today was shocking but hardly surprising: it is part of a series of lumpen acts by ABVP not only in DU but across the country! And this is possible only because of the active patronage of the DU administration: who has given a free hand to ABVP to run riot across the University!”