Tragedy at IP University: Student’s Suicide Sparks Protests Against Hostel Warden and University Administration

A fresher student named Gautam Kumar from GGSIP University died by suicide on Sunday after jumping from the seventh floor of his hostel in Delhi’s Dwarka, following his expulsion due to a birthday party celebration. The Tragedy at IP University took place at Shivalik Boys Hostel, located in the Dwarka Sector 16 area. According to student sources, local authorities from Dwarka Police arrived at the scene, but the student’s body was only transported to a nearby hospital’s mortuary for a post-mortem examination 2-3 hours later. The campus ambulance, which was stationed barely 200 meters from the hostel, reportedly took 20 minutes to arrive.

Fellow hostel residents identified the deceased as Gautam Kumar, an MBA student from the Vaishali district of Bihar. The incident occurred at approximately 6:10 PM when Gautam reportedly shouted, ‘Sorry, bhai,’ from the seventh floor before taking the fatal leap. According to sources among the students, before his unfortunate death, he sent a WhatsApp message to his family members stating that he was going to commit suicide due to alleged harassment and being framed in a false case by the warden.

According to the students, the warden of Shivalik Boys Hostel, Mr. Rakesh Kumar, had issued an expulsion notice on Saturday for six students, including one from Nepal, alleging that they had consumed alcohol in the hostel room during the night of September 13-14. The students were instructed to vacate their rooms by 2 pm on Sunday, September 15, giving them less than 24 hours to comply.

Students Call for Reforms in Wake of Tragedy at IP University

Gautam’s hostel mates stated that he neither consumed alcohol nor smoked and had only been called to the room by other students to celebrate his birthday with cake. Unfortunately, during this gathering, the warden entered and caught the group. Despite Gautam’s repeated claims that he was not involved in drinking or smoking and expressing concerns about being unable to afford accommodations outside the hostel, his pleas were ignored. Other students in the room and fellow hostel residents supported Gautam’s account, highlighting that he had only joined the hostel a month ago. It is also worth noting that, according to students, the warden’s actions were not recorded on camera, and the presence or absence of contraband remains a matter of hearsay.

Following the tragic incident, a large group of students staged a protest outside the hostel, demanding justice for Gautam. They expressed outrage against the actions and misconduct of the hostel warden, Mr. Rakesh Kumar, and the university administration, holding them responsible for Gautam’s death. Protestors alleged that several university officials, including the chief warden and registrar, were seen laughing while negotiating with the students during the protest.

The next day, after the hostel authorities requested more time to take action, another protest was organized on September 16, 2024, at 2:00 PM outside the Vice Chancellor’s office. The students outlined several demands, including the immediate resignation or suspension of Mr. Rakesh Kumar, filing an FIR against him, and a complete reconstitution of the warden body. They also demanded that the tenure of any warden be capped at three years to ensure transparency and accountability in hostel management.

However, according to the students, their demands were rejected by the registrar and other present authorities. Though Mr. Rakesh Kumar was “relieved” of his warden duties, the students allege that no clear reason was given, likely to avoid defaming the university ahead of new admissions.

The authorities cited the Vice Chancellor’s absence, stating he was unreachable since the night of September 15 due to being on a “foreign trip,” as the reason for not suspending Mr. Kumar. The students, however, rebutted this claim, citing the GGSIPU Act of 1998, which allows the appointing authority, the senior-most dean, or even the registrar to suspend a professor in the Vice Chancellor’s absence, pending an inquiry.

Negotiations on Day 2 reached a standstill after the authorities, according to the students, used their power to shield Mr. Rakesh Kumar and tried to persuade the students to accept a paid leave for him instead of suspension. Videos from the negotiations (from student sources) also show the registrar blaming Gautam for not approaching the chief warden, registrar, or proctor to resolve the issue—a point to note is that Gautam had only joined the college a month ago.

Additionally, protestors called for stricter measures to eliminate the presence of liquor and drugs in hostels, which they say pose serious threats to students’ health and safety. They urged the university to implement regular inspections to ensure compliance. Another critical demand was for the university to have a fully qualified doctor on campus 24/7 to provide immediate medical assistance to students. Finally, the students insisted that the university offer immediate financial compensation to Gautam’s family in recognition of their loss.

This growing unrest among the student community reflects deep frustration with what they perceive as administrative failures and deceit. The students have vowed to continue their fight until their non-negotiable demands are met.

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