Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) has drawn sharp criticism from student groups after five more students were suspended for allegedly obstructing officials and damaging university property during a protest last week.
The administration maintains that the move was necessary to safeguard institutional functioning and ensure campus safety.
Registrar Navlendra Kumar Singh, speaking to PTI, said that the students had blocked his vehicle and that of Vice-Chancellor Anu Singh Lather on Friday, April 12.
“They surrounded my car, refusing to let it move. The vice-chancellor’s car was also stopped. My vehicle was vandalised in the process. Security and local police had to step in. A formal complaint has been lodged, and an FIR will be filed,” Singh stated.
The suspended students, identified as Sharanya Verma, Shubhojeet Dey, Shefali, Keerthana, and Ajay, were accused of “interfering with official duties, threatening staff safety, and creating a volatile environment on campus,” according to university sources.
Protests rooted in earlier disciplinary action
The latest disciplinary step follows ongoing student protests that began after three peers — Anan, Harsh, and Nadia — were suspended on March 5.
The original action was taken against the trio for allegedly politicising a bullying case linked to a suicide attempt by a first-year student. The administration claimed their press statement on the matter misrepresented facts and gave a political spin to a sensitive situation.
The Students’ Federation of India (SFI), which is spearheading the protests, denounced the suspensions and accused the administration of targeting dissenting voices.
In a strongly worded statement, the group alleged that female protesters were “groped and manhandled” by security staff and police during the recent confrontation.
“The university is attempting to silence dissent rather than engage in dialogue. These suspensions are an extension of administrative high-handedness,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, AUD officials defended their stance, stating that protests cannot be allowed to spiral into intimidation or violence.
“We welcome open discussion, but not at the cost of institutional harmony or safety of students and staff,” a senior administrator said.
