Students vandalised vehicle, blocked officials: Ambedkar University justifies suspensions amid protests

NEW DELHI: Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) on Sunday defended its decision to suspend five more students, saying the action was taken after protesters allegedly vandalised official vehicles and obstructed university functioning.

Speaking to PTI, Registrar Navlendra Kumar Singh claimed the students, who were protesting against an earlier disciplinary action, blocked his car and that of Vice Chancellor Anu Singh Lather on Friday. "They hung on to my vehicle and did not allow it to move. They also blocked the vice chancellor's car and vandalised mine. Security personnel and police had to intervene. A formal complaint has been filed and an FIR will be registered," Singh said.

The Left-affiliated Students' Federation of India (SFI), which is leading the protest, denied the charges and called the administration's actions "arbitrary and repressive". The university administration maintained that the suspended students were involved in "obstructing official duties, attempting assault, and endangering campus personnel."

The suspended students include Sharanya Verma (Students' Union treasurer), Shubhojeet Dey (PhD scholar), Shefali (SFI AUD secretary), Keerthana, and Ajay. The incident followed ongoing protests demanding the revocation of earlier suspensions issued on March 5 to three students -- Anan, Harsh, and Nadia -- for allegedly politicising a case of bullying linked to a suicide attempt by a first-year student.

"The original suspension was due to a press statement that distorted facts and attempted to give a political colour to a sensitive issue," Singh said. In a statement, the SFI accused the university of " silencing dissent " and claimed that female students were "manhandled, groped, and assaulted" by security guards and police.

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"Anan Bijo & ORS vs Ambedkar University"

The SFI further rejected the allegations of vandalism and violence and claimed the incident of bullying was not isolated. They claimed that the administration's previous "inactivity" in cases of physical assault and harassment had led students to raise their concerns with the press.

On 5th March, three students of AUD were suspended. The SFI claimed that they were targeted because they called out the bullying incident on campus. The students' body also claimed that they had been trying continuously to consult the Vice Chancellor but he had not met them.

It said a petition for the case "Anan Bijo & ORS. Versus Dr. B.R. Ambedkar University, Delhi" that challenged the earlier suspension of students was filed and heard in the High Court of Delhi on 1st April 2025.

The administration had asked for more time, and the next hearing was held on 8th April 2025. The administration confirmed during the court hearing that they were considering the students' request regarding the suspensions but no confirmation had been received yet, the SFI claimed.

The court order from 8th April stated that the administration's lawyers had affirmed that "the petitioners have also preferred an appeal against the impugned action of their suspension and the said appeal is under active consideration."

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SFI vowed to continue protests

Despite the ongoing court case, the SFI claimed, the administration had ignored repeated attempts by students to meet with the Vice Chancellor since the suspensions began in March. The SFI denied any vandalism or violence, stressing that no harm was caused to the registrar. They accused the registrar of attempting to run over a student, "whose neck was just six inches away from being severely injured".

The student body alleged that the administration's aim was to delay the case and suppress the protesting students, causing harm to their academic careers. However, university officials said that such forms of agitation cannot be allowed to disrupt campus functioning or threaten the safety of staff and students.

"The university is open to dialogue but cannot condone intimidation or violence in the name of protest," said a senior administrative official. The AUD administration has stood firm on its decision, even as SFI vowed to continue protests until all eight suspensions are revoked.