New Delhi: Like Jamia Millia Islamia and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) before it, IIT Delhi recently called police into the campus while its students held a protest. This has been confirmed by a Delhi Police official, who has said the IIT’s chief security officer wrote to the police on August 25, requesting the deployment of personnel.A team of uniformed men and several plainclothesmen was thereafter deployed, and one group was especially placed close to the protesting students.The Wire Hindi has asked IIT Delhi why police were brought to campus during a peaceful protest, but the institute has not yet responded.The student protest, which started after the death by suicide of MSc Physics student Rishikesh Kumar on August 22, has now been temporarily put on hold, even though not all the students’ demands have been met.Their demands had included better mental health support for students in the light of eight previous cases of student deaths at the institute over the past 30 months. The students believe these were cases of death by suicide and demand institutional accountability and transparency from IIT Delhi.Neveretheless, the students decided to postpone their protest at a meeting they held on August 29. This is because an external inquiry committee has been constituted to investigate the circumstances surrounding Rishikesh’s death. The students decided that until this dossier is shared with students, faculty and staff, the protest would be on hold.Also read: ‘When Will the System Change?’: IIT Delhi Erupts in Protest After Student’s Alleged SuicideHowever, the students have made it clear that their struggle would continue on their other demands, especially pertaining to mental health care at the institute.Not all police wore uniformThe students have strongly objected to the policing and “security” measures implemented during their protest. They say Delhi Police personnel dressed in civil clothes entered the campus to monitor them and indiscriminately recorded their videos.The response from IIT Delhi’s chief security officer Kapil Kumar, which is seen on a video that is being widely circulated, has him saying that “The IIT administration summoned the police here [to IIT Delhi] for some reason. However, we will enquire with the station house officer [SHO] why the officers were in plainclothes and why they are recording.”In another video, Kishangarh Police Station SHO Ajay Kumar Yadav refers to an individual in plainclothes as a Delhi Police personnel. According to him, the administration was apprehensive that outsiders might enter the campus and create a nuisance, which is why police was asked to come inside the campus.Delhi Police officers in plain clothes. Students allege they were filming the protesters. Photos: Screengrab from video, by arrangement.SHO Yadav told The Wire Hindi, “We were called following the submission of a formal letter. The intention was to ensure that no outsider would cause harm to the protest or to any infrastructure of IIT or to any officer living inside IIT. Therefore, the police were called in as a precautionary measure.”He said the campus was already equipped with CCTV cameras, making it unnecessary for the police to separately videograph the area. Yadav also said apart from uniformed police, additional personnel in plainclothes were stationed relatively close to the students, as it seemed inappropriate to have uniformed policemen positioned near the protesters.He also said that one objective of the plainclothesmen was to identify outsiders.Students say that an individual wearing civil clothing was also called for recording them. A video of this from August 28 is available. The footage shows a person filming students despite their objections in the presence of campus security and Delhi Police.CheapTactics by IIT Admin and DelhiPolice continue. This time a proper cameraman (in civilian clothes) with policeman securing him recording protesters. Students oppose this cowardly action in security office. This is 5th day of the protest.IIT Delhi28.08.202611pm pic.twitter.com/qYFtlCUHs2— Arpit (@ARPITy26) August 28, 2026In the video, the man identifies himself as a professional photographer to the students and claims he was asked by the security department to film their protest. He could not produce any written authorisation to do this work.The protesting students also ask another security department officer to provide the permission letter from the IIT director to film them, who says he does not have written permission either.Questions have been sent to the security department of IIT Delhi. This report will be updated when a response is received.Allegation of recording and pushing a studentThe students allege that a security personnel pushed a female protester who objected to students being filmed. A video capturing the incident shows a student approaching a man in plainclothes using a camera to record the students to stop recording. He instead pointed the camera at her and continued filming.The man recording students claims he was hired by campus security. Photo by arrangement.An IIT student told The Wire Hindi, “After the march on Friday night (August 28), when the students had gathered near the main building, a person in plainclothes started recording them with a DSLR camera mounted on a gimbal. Most of the students present there were male, but as soon as a female student reached there, he turned his camera directly towards her and continued recording without her consent.”This, too, is recorded on video. According to the student, “His behaviour was extremely uncomfortable for her.” “Despite our repeated requests, the person continued to smile and kept recording. The security staff present at the scene also did not intervene,” the student said.According to the students’ press release dated August 30, “When the student approached the cameraman and asked him to stop recording, a female security guard forcefully pushed her away, leading to physical injury.”The protesting students said that they exercised restraint instead of escalating the confrontation as they aimed to keep the focus on their primary demand for justice for Rishikesh, rather than allowing the dispute over police or security to take precedence.They said they have not received any satisfactory explanation regarding their alleged surveillance. They said that they will raise this issue with the administration and seek clarification.Who were these security personnel?Regarding police monitoring, a PhD student said, “A few days ago, the prime minister was the chief guest at the convocation ceremony. For about two weeks before the event and even afterwards, the security arrangements were so tight that we were repeatedly asked for ID cards at various places on the campus at different times of the day.”“In such a situation, how can a policeman in plain clothes come to the campus without informing the director?” he asked. “As far as I know, police require permission from the director or vice-chancellor to enter the campus. Then why is so much secrecy being maintained regarding this permission? CCTV cameras are installed in almost every part of the campus, so why is there a need to call police officers or others to make women uncomfortable, record them and scare them?”This development has come to light at a time when there was concern about possible disciplinary action against the students during the protest.Also read: Why India Should Stop Treating University Students Like SchoolchildrenIIT Delhi director Banerjee had warned the students of disciplinary action in an email sent to them. In this email sent on August 28, Banerjee had said that from around 10:30 pm to 12:30 am on August 27, a group of protesting students took the protest to the residential areas of the campus and demonstrated in front of the faculty residences.According to him, slogans containing “objectionable, derogatory and threatening language” were raised during the protest. He said in the email that the institute will take disciplinary action against individuals who disrupt the peaceful functioning of the campus.The students reiterated that there should be no punitive or retaliatory action by the IIT administration, Delhi Police or any other external agency against the students protesting peacefully.Allegations of indiscipline against studentsIn a press release issued on August 30, the students rejected allegations of indiscipline levelled against them by the institute. They said they had exercised restraint during the past week’s protest and had not crossed any boundaries.IIT director Rangan Banerjee had written an email on August 28 in which he accused the protesting students of indiscipline. The students said their slogans were confined to calls for accountability and transparency and had no connection with ‘indiscipline’. They said their demonstration stayed on main roads, avoiding hostels or residential areas, nor did it approach the hospital or health facilities on campus.Keeping in mind security and privacy concerns, the protesters also stayed away from the women’s hostels or residences.Their press release highlights the slogan they raised to appeal to teachers to stand with them, such as, “Professors come out, support us.”Consensus reached on investigation committeeAn independent investigation into Rishikesh’s death was one of the main demands of the students’ protest and the administration has accepted it. According to the press release, the chairperson of the committee and the student members included in it will be decided by the protesting students.The scope of investigation of the committee will not be limited only to the circumstances of Rishikesh’s death.The administration has clarified that the committee will also investigate the circumstances in which the matter escalated. In addition, the committee will talk to the students, faculty and administrative offices concerned and review the policies and procedures of the institution and give its recommendations.The students have also demanded an investigation by the inquiry committee into the role of administrative officials whom they accuse of lapses. The administration has said that the decision to send the concerned officers on leave pending the investigation will be taken by the investigation committee.The protesting students had initially objected to the appointment of Ashok Kumar, former DGP of Uttarakhand and an IIT Delhi alumnus, as the committee chairman. Later, the administration reconstituted the committee and appointed retired Delhi high court judge as its chairperson, as per the students demand. Former judge Mukta Gupta now heads the external committee.Stance on compensation demand shiftsInitially, the students had demanded compensation of Rs 1 crore for Rishikesh’s family. The administration had proposed reimbursing medical expenses, providing Rs 6 lakh from the ‘benevolent fund’ and raising additional funds from IIT alumni and staff.However, in a press release, the students stated that Rishikesh’s mother has declined any monetary compensation. Instead, she has asked the administration to ensure that on-campus accommodation arrangements are made for students struggling with mental health issues, so that no student is forced to live off-campus like her son was.The administration has agreed to consider this suggestion. The students said further discussions on this matter would take place between the family and the administration.Demand for inquiry into dean Sreedevi’s roleThe students have questioned the role of officials associated with student affairs and student welfare. They specifically demanded the resignation of Professor Sreedevi, associate dean of student welfare, citing her allegedly insensitive remarks.Also read: Suicide Due to ‘Mental Stress’, Say IIT Delhi Student’s Parents; Call for Inquiry Into ProfessorsThe administration has stated that an inquiry committee will investigate the roles and potential lapses of the concerned officials. The students have also indicated that they will present evidence regarding Professor Sreedevi’s alleged insensitive remarks to the committee.Protest suspended despite unmet demandsA PhD student expressed dissatisfaction with the decision to suspend the protest, noting that the primary demand for accountability – removing Prof Sreedevi and some other deans – had not been met. According to the student, the institute has conducted similar inquiries in the past, with unsatisfactory outcomes. He said, “The recurring deaths of students on campus and the lack of accountability are clear examples [of lack of responsiveness].”However, he said the present situation was significantly different. Student participation in the inquiry committee and the administration’s agreement to replace the committee’s chairperson offer some assurance of transparency. “For now, it is strategically prudent to pause and await the initial report. The agitation can be reorganised later if the need arises,” he said.He added that the decision to suspend the protest was also based on the assurance that no action would be taken against the students involved in the demonstration.Demand for transparent mental health support systemFollowing Rishikesh’s death, students have been demanding that the institute make its existing mental health support systems and associated protocols public. The administration has agreed to this demand.Students argue that announcing a new grievance redressal mechanism or a mentorship system would be insufficient if they remain unaware of the specific responsibilities assigned to the institute’s various units during a mental health crisis. They have also reiterated their demand for a review of potential flaws in the existing protocols and for necessary amendments to be made.This article was originally published on The Wire Hindi. It has been translated by Naushin Rehman.