Protests after Delhi principal's casteist slur, assault on Dalit student

A Dalit student at Delhi University's Shaheed Bhagat Singh College has filed a police complaint alleging that its principal hurled casteist slurs and assaulted him after he was falsely accused of sending obscene messages on the official WhatsApp group of his department.

Principal Arun Kumar Attri denied the allegations, claiming the student was being manipulated by a faculty member against whom an inquiry is underway for taking appointment and promotion on fake and fabricated experience certificate.

The allegations by the student have sparked protests by student groups.

Students from other universities like Jawaharlal Nehru University gathered at the college on Monday demanding the principal's resignation.

The third-year BA Hindi Honours student claimed the incident caused him mental trauma and defamation.

He has also written to the University vice-chancellor and the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, seeking action against those involved.

In his complaint, the student detailed the events, stating that on October 24, a classmate's phone was allegedly hacked, and objectionable content, including links to obscene videos, was shared in the department's WhatsApp group.

He claimed to have helped fix the classmate's phone to prevent further misuse. However, during a preliminary investigation initiated by the principal he was accused by some students of sending the messages.

"Despite my full cooperation, I was subjected to intense scrutiny, including having my phone searched without my consent, which violated my right to privacy," he stated in the letter.

The student alleged that some teachers pressured him to admit to the allegations and threatened him with expulsion.

"When I refused to accept the false charges, Principal Arun Kumar Attri physically assaulted me. He also made casteist remarks, asking why I disclosed my Dalit identity and threatened to expel me if I spoke about the incident," the letter claimed.

The student added that he faced severe humiliation when he returned to college, with peers treating him as a criminal, which affected his mental health.

"These actions have hurt my self-esteem. I am under immense mental tension and have even had suicidal thoughts," he wrote, requesting urgent legal action.

However, Principal Attri said the allegations are "completely false" and the complaint is an attempt to malign him and the college.

The allegations of casteist slurs and assault are completely false. The student was found guilty by a disciplinary committee of sending obscene messages and hacking WhatsApp accounts. However, to protect his career, the college refrained from filing a cyber cell complaint and instead counselled him, warning him for the future. This complaint is an attempt to malign me and the college, Attri told PTI.

The All India Students Association unit of JNU and DU gheraoed the principal's office on Monday in Shaheed Bhagat Singh College demanding action.

The protests reportedly disrupted classes, prompting the college to announce a shift to online teaching.

In a notification, the administration cited "deteriorating air pollution" as the reason for the move.