Ambedkar University Delhi has suspended 10 students after clashes between protesters and security personnel at its Kashmere Gate campus, barring them from entering university campuses while a disciplinary inquiry is conducted. The action followed an evening confrontation during the 16th day of an indefinite sit-in over basic infrastructure, faculty recruitment and other student demands.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, the university said the suspensions were based on a preliminary report by its Proctorial Board, CCTV footage and other visual material. The students were suspended with immediate effect for their alleged involvement in acts of indiscipline, the university said.
The orders do not specify a fixed period for the suspensions. They state that the students will remain suspended pending the outcome of the inquiry and prohibit them from entering the university’s campuses during the suspension period. The matter has been referred to the Proctorial Board and the Disciplinary Committee, with the university asking for a report within a week.
The clashes took place on Tuesday evening at the campus’s Wall of Democracy, where students had gathered for a screening of the documentary Jai Bhim Comrade. The All India Students’ Association-led AUD Students’ Collective alleged that security personnel removed posters and bedsheets, switched off campus electricity at around 6 pm and physically assaulted students attending the screening.
AISA also alleged that female students reported misconduct and injuries, including torn clothing and broken sandals. The student organisation further claimed that one student was singled out, assaulted and subjected to communal threats. According to the collective, students attempted to force open the gates after alleging that the student was being held by security personnel.
The university presented a different account of the incident. In a statement issued on Tuesday, it alleged that protesting students damaged university property and engaged in scuffles and physical altercations with female and male security personnel deployed on duty. It also said officials who attempted to initiate dialogue were subjected to abusive behaviour.
“Observing that the situation was becoming unmanageable, and keeping in view the safety and security of the campus and other students, the University Administration informed the police authorities,” the university said.
The dispute has continued beyond the immediate clash. Students gathered on Wednesday to protest against what AISA described as violence and restrictions on campus access. The collective alleged that the university had increased barricading at the gates and deployed additional police personnel.
AISA said the indefinite sit-in would continue until all campus gates were reopened and unrestricted student entry was restored. The university, however, maintained that all genuine and permissible demands raised by the protesters had already been addressed.
The administration said violence, vandalism, misbehaviour with staff and disruption of the academic environment were unacceptable. The next formal step is the submission of the Proctorial Board’s report within a week, after which the disciplinary process will determine the status of the suspended students.
