Dalit student alleges caste abuse and assault by DU principal

A Dalit student of Delhi University’s Shahid Bhagat Singh College has filed a police complaint alleging that his principal hurled casteist slurs and assaulted him after he was falsely accused of sending obscene messages on his department’s official WhatsApp group. Principal Arun Kumar Attri has denied the allegation, saying the student was manipulated by the teacher, who is under investigation for appointment and promotion based on a fake and fabricated experience certificate.

The student’s accusations sparked protests by student groups. Students from other universities like JNU gathered at the college on Monday demanding the principal’s resignation.

The student, a third-year BA Honors Hindi student, alleged that the incident had caused him mental trauma and defamation. He also wrote to the university’s vice-chancellor and the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, demanding action against those involved.

In his complaint, the student described the events in detail, stating that on October 24, a fellow student’s phone was allegedly hacked, and unwanted content, including links to obscene videos, was distributed in the department’s WhatsApp group.

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

“Despite my full cooperation, I was subjected to extensive background checks, including a search of my phone without my consent, which violated my right to privacy,” he said in the letter. The student alleged that some teachers pressured him to confess to the allegations and threatened him with expulsion.

“When I refused to accept the false allegations, director Arun Kumar Attri physically assaulted me. He also made casteist remarks asking why I revealed my Dalit identity and threatened to expel me if I spoke about the incident,” the letter alleged.

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

“These actions harmed my well-being. I am under extreme mental stress and have even had thoughts of suicide,” he wrote, demanding urgent legal action.

However, Principal Attree said the allegations were “completely false” and the complaint was an attempt to embarrass him and the college.

Allegations of casteist insults and attacks are completely false. The disciplinary commission found the student guilty of sending obscene messages and hacking WhatsApp accounts. However, to protect his career, the college refrained from filing a cybercage complaint and instead advised him, warning him for the future. “This complaint is an attempt to defame me and the college,” Attri told PTI.

The All India Students Association (AISA) unit of JNU and DU gheraoed the office of Shaheed Bhagat Singh College Principal on Monday, demanding action.

The protests reportedly disrupted classes, prompting the college to announce a move to online teaching. In the message, the administration cited “worsening air pollution” as the reason for the move.