A shocking incident at Delhi University’s Dr. Bhim Rao Ambedkar College has reignited debate over campus politics and student conduct after a senior teacher was allegedly slapped by a student leader from the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) in full view of Delhi Police officers. The episode, which took place during a disciplinary committee meeting, has prompted widespread outrage from the university’s teaching community, calls for accountability from student organizations, and an official inquiry by the police.

According to officials, the incident occurred on Thursday during a meeting of the college’s disciplinary committee, chaired by Professor Sujit Kumar of the Commerce Department. The committee was convened to discuss a recent altercation in which members of ABVP were accused of assaulting students affiliated with the rival National Students’ Union of India (NSUI). Kumar, who serves as the committee’s convenor, was present alongside other faculty members when several ABVP representatives, including Delhi University Students’ Union (DUSU) joint secretary Deepika Jha, allegedly entered the room without authorization.

A 32-second video clip of the altercation, reportedly captured by a CCTV camera installed in the room, has circulated widely online. It shows the teacher seated on a sofa next to Jha, surrounded by several individuals as a discussion unfolds. Four Delhi Police personnel are visible in the footage. As the exchange grows tense, Jha suddenly stands and appears to slap Kumar. The officers can be seen intervening immediately—one female constable pulls Jha away and directs her to another seat, while the teacher, attempting to rise in response, is shoved back into his chair by an unidentified man.

While the authenticity of the video has not been independently verified, Delhi Police officials confirmed they are reviewing the footage as part of their preliminary inquiry. “We have received a complaint in the matter and are obtaining the original CCTV footage from the college. The issue is being examined carefully,” said a senior police officer on Thursday evening.

The exact sequence of events leading up to the slap remains contested. Accounts from both sides differ sharply, painting contrasting pictures of what transpired before and during the confrontation.

According to a statement released by the Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF), the meeting had been called to deliberate on a recent case of campus violence in which ABVP members allegedly assaulted NSUI students following the results of the college student council elections. Sources within the college said that the student council’s presidential post had been won by an NSUI candidate, while ABVP members secured other unopposed positions. The tension between the two groups, however, did not subside after the election results were declared.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, DUSU joint secretary and ABVP member Deepika Jha admitted that she had slapped the professor but claimed it was a reaction to what she described as verbal abuse and inappropriate behavior by him. “During our interaction, I told him that I saw him smoking in public and that it doesn’t leave a good impression on students. In response, he verbally abused me and kept staring at me with a smirk, even after I told him I was uncomfortable. When he continued, I reacted impulsively and slapped him. I realize now that I should not have done that,” Jha said.

She added that her presence in the meeting stemmed from an earlier dispute involving ABVP students and college authorities. “Day before yesterday, during the oath-taking ceremony of the student council, an NSUI person who was not a student representative was on stage. Some ABVP students lodged a complaint about it with the principal. Later, one of the complainants was threatened, so we went to meet the professor to discuss that,” she said. Jha maintained that her actions were not premeditated but spontaneous, prompted by “provocation and disrespect.”

In contrast, Professor Sujit Kumar categorically denied Jha’s version of events and accused ABVP members of orchestrating a deliberate act of intimidation. He alleged that around 50 to 60 ABVP students stormed into the college premises without authorization, creating chaos and demanding that he resign from his post as convenor of the disciplinary committee. “I had earlier suspended three ABVP-affiliated students after they assaulted an NSUI student who wished to contest in the student elections. The same students returned during the oath ceremony and beat up that NSUI student again, right in front of me and other staff. The next day, while we were holding a meeting and a small Diwali celebration, the ABVP group barged in uninvited,” Kumar said.

He further alleged that the intruders, including Jha and DUSU president Aryan Maan, entered the principal’s office and coerced him into signing a resignation letter. “They forced me to write my resignation as convenor under threat of violence. They even asked the principal to suspend me for allegedly smoking outside the campus. Despite police officers requesting Jha to sit separately from me, she sat beside me and ultimately slapped me while arguing,” Kumar said.

University authorities have so far refrained from commenting publicly on the controversy. Delhi University vice-chancellor Yogesh Singh did not respond to repeated requests for comment. However, the Delhi University Teachers’ Association (DUTA) issued a strong statement condemning the assault and demanding swift disciplinary action. “We are deeply shocked to learn that a senior teacher at B.R. Ambedkar College has been slapped and assaulted by students inside the college premises while performing his duty. This is an assault on the dignity of a teacher and a blatant act of indiscipline. Violence in any form is unacceptable in a democratic institution,” DUTA said in its letter to the vice-chancellor. The teachers’ body urged the administration to conduct an immediate inquiry and take “exemplary action” against the perpetrators to ensure the safety of faculty members.

The incident has also drawn political reactions from student organizations across the university. The NSUI, the student wing of the Indian National Congress, issued a statement condemning the attack and accusing ABVP of fostering a “culture of intimidation.” “Despite clear CCTV evidence of the assault, no action has yet been taken. Such behavior inside a university campus—especially directed at a professor—undermines the integrity of academic spaces,” NSUI said.

In its official response, the ABVP acknowledged that the altercation had taken place but sought to contextualize it differently. The organization claimed that Professor Kumar was “under the influence of alcohol” during the meeting and that Jha’s response, while regrettable, was provoked by his conduct. “He had once again come to the college under the influence of alcohol. In that moment of distress, I reacted impulsively, for which I sincerely express regret,” Jha said in ABVP’s official statement.

Several members of the university community have interpreted the incident as symptomatic of a larger pattern of politicization and aggression within campuses. “What happened in Bhim Rao Ambedkar College was shocking but not surprising,” said Rudrashish Chakraborty, associate professor at Kirori Mal College. “It is part of a series of lumpen acts by ABVP not only in Delhi University but across the country. Such behavior continues only because of administrative complicity that has allowed ABVP members to act with impunity.”

Meanwhile, police officials have stated that they will continue investigating the incident based on available footage and eyewitness accounts. “We are verifying CCTV footage from multiple angles. Appropriate action will be taken once facts are established,” said a senior investigating officer.

The altercation has intensified debates over freedom, discipline, and political interference in universities, with faculty members warning that unchecked aggression from student groups poses a serious threat to academic integrity. For many in Delhi University, the image of a student leader striking a teacher—inside a college office, under police watch—has become a disturbing symbol of how campus discourse has deteriorated from debate to hostility. As the inquiry unfolds, both the academic community and the public await clarity on whether this incident will mark a turning point for accountability in India’s student politics or simply fade into another unresolved controversy.