IIT Delhi Director Warns Of Action Over 'Escalation' In Student Protests

New Delhi: IIT Delhi Director Rangan Banerjee has warned students of disciplinary action, saying the protest over the death of 31-year-old MSc student Rishikesh Kumar "escalated significantly" on Thursday night, with demonstrations reaching campus residential areas.

In an email to students on Friday, Professor Banerjee wrote a group of protesters demonstrated outside faculty housing between 10.30PM and 12.30AM and used "unsavoury, humiliating and threatening language in their slogans".

"Such behaviour compromises the safety, privacy, and peace of faculty members and their families, including young children and elderly dependents," the email read.

At midnight, IIT Delhi students raised a powerful call:“Professor bahar aao, aao hamara saath do!”A call for their professors to stand with them in solidarity and support their fight for #JusticeForRishikesh.@iitdelhi @TheNewspinch @the_hindu @IndianExpress pic.twitter.com/KOw4OgiiWF

The Director stated the institute would act against those disrupting the functioning of the campus.

"The Institute will take disciplinary actions against individuals disrupting the peaceful functioning of the campus including residential areas, classes, academic and other activities," Banerjee wrote.

The communication came as student demonstrations entered their fifth consecutive day following Kumar's death. Students have been demanding an independent inquiry, action against institute officials and compensation for his family.

At the same time, the institute said several measures have already been initiated following discussions with student representatives.

"The External Inquiry committee has started functioning," Banerjee wrote. He added that the institute's support for Kumar's family through the Benevolent Fund had been approved. A separate fund has also been created to receive voluntary contributions from faculty, students and staff.

The institute is also set to appoint an External Ombudsperson next week, according to the Director. "We have continued to engage with our student representatives and other students in good faith," he mentioned.

The latest protest took place on Thursday night, with students marching through the campus carrying banners that read, "IIT Delhi students demand justice! Investigation, Compensation, Resignation. We stand with Rishikesh." Security personnel had barricaded the institute's main gate during the demonstration.

Kumar allegedly died by suicide on Saturday after jumping from the sixth floor of a building on the IIT Delhi campus. The Delhi Police have registered an FIR against unknown persons for alleged abetment of suicide.

The protesting students have sought the resignation of the Dean, Associate Dean (Student Welfare), Associate Dean (Hostel Management) and Head of the Physics Department. They have also demanded at least Rs 1 crore in compensation for Kumar's family.

Students have maintained that Kumar's death was the eighth suicide on the IIT Delhi campus since 2023.

The administration has not accepted the demands for resignations or the specific compensation amount sought by the students.