IIT Delhi Director Rangan Banerjee has warned students of disciplinary action after protests over the death of a 31-year-old MSc student escalated on campus. The director said some protesters had used what he described as “unsavoury, humiliating and threatening language” during demonstrations. He also raised concerns about protests spreading to residential areas occupied by faculty members and their families.

Banerjee said the situation escalated significantly on Thursday night when a group of protesters gathered outside faculty housing between 10:30 pm and 12:30 am. According to his communication to students, slogans raised during the demonstration contained language that he considered inappropriate and threatening. He said such conduct could compromise the safety, privacy and peace of faculty members, including children and elderly family members living in the residential area.

In an email to students, the director made clear that the institute would take disciplinary action against individuals who disrupted the peaceful functioning of the campus. He said the measures could apply to disruptions affecting residential areas, classrooms, academic activities and other institute functions. The warning comes as tensions remain high among students demanding greater accountability over the circumstances surrounding the death.

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The student protests have continued for several days following the death of the MSc student, who allegedly died by suicide after jumping from a building on the IIT Delhi campus. Protesters have been seeking an independent investigation, action against institute officials and compensation for the student’s family. The demonstrations have also raised broader concerns among students about institutional mechanisms for addressing grievances and supporting students facing difficulties.

Amid the continuing protests, IIT Delhi has reconstituted an external committee tasked with examining the circumstances surrounding the student’s death. Retired Delhi High Court judge Mukta Gupta has been appointed to head the panel. The restructuring followed the decision of former Uttarakhand Director General of Police Ashok Kumar, who had initially been appointed as the committee’s chairperson, to recuse himself, citing personal reasons.

The latest warning adds another layer to an already tense situation on the campus, with the administration seeking to maintain normal academic and residential activities while students continue to press their demands. The institute’s disciplinary warning focuses on maintaining safety and order, while protesters have continued to seek answers regarding the student’s death. The external inquiry is expected to examine the circumstances surrounding the incident as the administration and students remain at odds over the handling of the matter.

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