Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
A research scholar at Delhi University slapped a professor inside the campus in full public view on Monday, following which the university suspended him with immediate effect and barred him from entering any of its premises.
The accused, Shubham Singh, a PhD scholar at the Faculty of Law, was captured on CCTV waiting near the entrance of a campus building before suddenly approaching Law Faculty professor Umang Bhawan and slapping him. Other students at the spot attempted to intervene.
advertisement
The university has not publicly disclosed the reason for the attack or clarified whether the professor and the student had any prior dispute.
The university Proctor, Manoj Kumar Singh, confirmed that the incident took place on Monday morning and said the university had constituted a committee to investigate the matter. Singh was admitted to the Faculty of Law during the 2024-25 academic session.
“It is hereby notified that he is suspended from the Faculty of Law, University of Delhi, with immediate effect,” the Proctor’s office said in its order.
The university also prohibited Singh from entering any premises of Delhi University with immediate effect, officials said.
Alongside the suspension, the university has constituted an independent three-member inquiry committee comprising professors to investigate the assault and determine the circumstances leading to the confrontation.
The incident has drawn strong condemnation from the teaching community, which have called for stricter action and raised concerns over repeated instances of violence and alleged aggression against teachers on campus.
The Democratic Teachers’ Front (DTF) described Monday’s incident as the third such case involving violence or physical aggression against teachers in recent months.
The teachers’ collective also alleged that the university administration’s response to campus violence had been “slow” and “insufficient”, arguing that suspension alone was not enough to deter such incidents.
According to the DTF, professors had previously faced verbal abuse from another student of the Faculty of Law. The teachers’ body has demanded stronger and more decisive action from the university to ensure the safety and dignity of faculty members.
The latest incident has also brought back memories of a similar confrontation at Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar College, a Delhi University-affiliated college, in October 2025, when DU Students’ Union Joint Secretary Deepika Jha was accused of slapping professor Sujit Kumar during a disciplinary committee meeting.
That incident was captured on video and triggered protests and demands from teachers for university-level action.
Delhi University subsequently suspended Jha for two months and barred her from entering DU-affiliated colleges in her capacity as a student leader. The action was criticised by sections of the teaching community as inadequate.
The DTF has cited that episode as a precedent while criticising what it described as a recurring failure to adequately address violence against teachers.
The three-member inquiry committee is expected to establish the circumstances leading to Monday’s confrontation and determine further action.
– Ends
SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
