A group of men on Tuesday allegedly entered Delhi University’s Indraprastha College for Women by scaling the boundary walls and harassed several students who were celebrating the college’s annual festival.
Taking suo motu cognisance, the police have detained seven persons and an FIR has been registered in this regard.
A similar incident occurred at Miranda House on October 14 last year during a Diwali festival, prompting the university to issue guidelines to colleges instructing them not to make entry open for all. Colleges were also instructed that events must be organised only after taking permission from the police and giving them an estimate of the number of people expected to turn up.
Students on Tuesday said a stampede-like situation broke out outside the college gate on North Campus as outsiders tried to enter. Police personnel stationed outside the campus failed to control the unruly crowd, students alleged.
DCP (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi said singer Asees Kaur was expected to perform on the second day of the ongoing annual fest — Shruti ’23 — and a massive crowd had gathered near the gate on Tuesday. “There was a huge crowd. Around 3 p.m., some students tried to enter the college all at once and, in the process, fell down. Some also got injured during the incident,” the DCP said.
Also Read | Gaps in Delhi college’s handling of sexual harassment complaints, say alumni and former teachers
Anushka, an All India Students’ Association (AISA) activist and a second-year student at the college, said while entry was allowed only through passes, a group of men scaled the walls and entered inside. “Some even stormed the gate and tried to enter the hostels and harassed women.” She added that the police, after the ruckus, escorted the group of men out of the campus.
Anjali, AISA DU unit secretary, said some of the men raised offensive slogans. “The men were heard chanting “Miranda, IP dono hamara (Miranda House and Indraprastha College both are ours)“ and “Miranda nahin chhoda to IP bhi nahi chhodenge (We didn’t leave Miranda, we won’t leave IP either),” she said.
“The administration, in response, locked the hostelers instead of taking an action against the men,” Ms. Anjali said, adding that similar incidents took place at Gargi College, Miranda House, and Daulat Ram College. “What has Delhi Police been doing?” she said.
Anjali, AISA DU unit secretary, said, “The administration locked the hostelers inside instead of taking action against the men.” Despite several attempts, the college did not respond to queries about the incident. DU Proctor Rajni Abbi said the incident has not been brought to her notice and that she would contact the college principal.
