A Dalit student of Delhi University’s Shaheed Bhagat Singh College has filed a police complaint alleging that his principal hurled casteist insults and assaulted him after he was falsely accused of sending obscene messages to the official WhatsApp group his department.

However, Principal Arun Kumar Attri denied the allegations, claiming that the student was manipulated by a faculty member against whom he is being investigated for appointment and promotion on a fake and fabricated experience certificate. The student’s allegations sparked protests from student groups. Students from other universities like JNU gathered at the college on Monday demanding the principal’s resignation.

The student, a third-year Hindi honors student, alleged that the incident caused him mental trauma and defamation. He has also written to the university vice-chancellor and the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, demanding action against those involved.

In his complaint, the student detailed the events, stating that on October 24, a classmate’s phone was allegedly hacked and objectionable content, including links to obscene videos, was shared on the department’s WhatsApp group.

He claimed he helped repair the classmate’s phone to prevent misuse. However, during a preliminary investigation initiated by the principal, he was accused by some students of having sent the messages. “Despite my full cooperation, I was subjected to intense surveillance, including searches of my phone without my consent, which violated my right to privacy,” he said in the letter.

The student claimed that some teachers pressured him to admit to the allegations and threatened him with expulsion. “When I refused to accept the false allegations, director Arun Kumar Attri physically assaulted me. He also made casteist remarks, asking why I had revealed my Dalit identity and threatened to expel me if I spoke about the incident,” the letter said.

The student added that he faced severe humiliation when he returned to college, with peers treating him like a criminal, which affected his mental health. “These actions hurt my self-esteem. I am under immense mental stress and have even had suicidal thoughts,” he wrote, calling for urgent legal action.

However, the Attri principal said the allegations were “completely false” and that the complaint was an attempt to defame him and the college. “Allegations of caste insults and attacks are completely false. The student was found guilty by a disciplinary committee of sending obscene messages and hacking WhatsApp accounts. However, to protect his career, the college refrained from filing a cyber cell complaint and counseled him, warning him for the future. This complaint is an attempt to defame me and the college,” Attri told PTI.

Moreover, the All India Students Association (AISA) unit of JNU and DU gherao on Monday opened the principal’s office in Shaheed Bhagat Singh College, demanding action.

The protests disrupted classes, prompting the college to announce a move to online teaching. In a filing, the administration cited “deteriorating air pollution” as the reason for the move.