IIT Delhi warns of action over midnight student protest march

IIT Delhi students marched through faculty residential areas between 10.30pm and 12.30am on Thursday, calling on faculty members to join their protest after a postgraduate scholar died on campus.

In an email to students on Friday, director Rangan Banerjee said the institute would take disciplinary action against people who disrupt the peaceful functioning of the campus, including residences, classes and other academic activity. The institute said protesters used language it considered threatening and humiliating during the demonstration outside faculty housing.

Students chanted, “Professors bahar aao, aao hamara saath do,” during the march. Students said five or six professors from different departments came out in solidarity.

Banerjee said an external inquiry committee had begun work. He said the institute had approved support for the scholar’s family through its benevolent fund and created a separate voluntary-contribution fund.

In a video statement, Banerjee said existing student-support measures were insufficient and that the institute needed to rebuild trust with students. IIT Delhi said counselling, psychiatric support, emergency intervention and referral systems are available to students. An external ombudsperson is due to be appointed next week.