BBC documentary: Several detained at protest over action against 2 DU students

Anjali, AISA DU unit’s secretary, said: “We were about to start our indefinite sit-in protest against the undemocratic way in which the two students were barred by the DU administration… As soon as we started, police detained many students.”

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Around 11 Delhi University students, protesting against the debarment of two students for attempting to screen the BBC documentary on the Prime Minister in January, were removed Friday from the Arts Faculty. The protest was staged by AISA’s DU unit.

DCP (North) Sagar Singh Kalsi told The Indian Express, “On the request of DU authorities, around 11 students, nine men and two women, have been removed from near the Vivekananda statue, Arts Faculty, to maintain peace. Reportedly, they were gathering there to protest in support of some students who were expelled due to indiscipline. No FIR has been registered as of now in this regard.”

Anjali, AISA DU unit’s secretary, alleged: “We were about to start our indefinite sit-in protest against the undemocratic way in which the two students were barred by the DU administration… when police detained many students.”

Speaking to The Indian Express, DU Proctor Rajni Abbi said, “I have issued a notification which says that to hold any kind of demonstration or protest, anywhere, students are required to take permission from us. They are allowed to hold any form of protest, but they do not take permission beforehand. Some of them are not even DU students. So when we get information that a group has gathered somewhere on campus, we inform police to avoid any kind of violence.”

The screening was organised on January 27 by students’ groups such as the National Students’ Union of India and the Bhim Army Student Federation. Some of the students were detained by police from the spot, and their details were collected by the university from the FIR. A committee formed by DU to look into the incident had barred two students for a year and recommended punishment against six others.

In another incident, a group of students associated with NREGA Sangarah Morcha alleged that police “abruptly stopped” a peaceful meeting at Arts Faculty that had economist Jean Dreze in attendance.

DCP Kalsi told The Indian Express, “We received information that there’s apprehension of breach of peace and tranquility in the area. The university authorities had intimated the same. These protestors were peacefully removed from the place. The situation was normal after that.” Police said no FIR has been filed and no one has been detained.

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Dreze said: “This happened after another set of students had already held their protest and had been detained. We had cooperated with police’s request not to use a mike. After that, there was really no reason to disperse the meeting.”

Vidheesha Kuntamalla

Vidheesha Kuntamalla is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She is known for her investigative reporting on higher education policy, international student immigration, and academic freedom on university campuses. Her work consistently connects policy decisions with lived realities, foregrounding how administrative actions, political pressure, and global shifts affect students, faculty, and institutions. Professional Profile Core Beat: Vidheesha covers education in Delhi and nationally, reporting on major public institutions including the University of Delhi (DU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Millia Islamia, the IITs, and the IIMs. She also reports extensively on private and government schools in the National Capital Region. Prior to joining The Indian Express, she worked as a freelance journalist in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for over a year, covering politics, rural issues, women-centric issues, and social justice. Specialisation: She has developed a strong niche in reporting on the Indian student diaspora, particularly the challenges faced by Indian students and H-1B holders in the United States. Her work examines how geopolitical shifts, immigration policy changes, and campus politics impact global education mobility. She has also reported widely on: * Mental health crises and student suicides at IITs * Policy responses to campus mental health * Academic freedom and institutional clampdowns at JNU, South Asian University (SAU), and Delhi University * Curriculum and syllabus changes under the National Education Policy Her recent reporting has included deeply reported human stories on policy changes during the Trump administration and their consequences for Indian students and researchers in the US. Reporting Style Vidheesha is recognised for a human-centric approach to policy reporting, combining investigative depth with intimate storytelling. Her work often highlights the anxieties of students and faculty navigating bureaucratic uncertainty, legal precarity, and institutional pressure. She regularly works with court records, internal documents, official data, and disciplinary frameworks to expose structural challenges to academic freedom. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2024 & 2025) 1. Express Investigation Series JNU’s fault lines move from campus to court: University fights students and faculty (November 2025) An Indian Express investigation found that since 2011, JNU has appeared in over 600 cases before the Delhi High Court, filed by the administration, faculty, staff, students, and contractual workers across the tenures of three Vice-Chancellors. JNU’s legal wars with students and faculty pile up under 3 V-Cs | Rs 30-lakh fines chill campus dissent (November 2025) The report traced how steep monetary penalties — now codified in the Chief Proctor’s Office Manual — are reshaping dissent and disciplinary action on campus. 2. International Education & Immigration ‘Free for a day. Then came ICE’: Acquitted after 43 years, Indian-origin man faces deportation — to a country he has never known (October 2025) H-1B $100,000 entry fee explained: Who pays, who’s exempt, and what’s still unclear? (September 2025) Khammam to Dallas, Jhansi to Seattle — audacious journeys in pursuit of the American dream after H-1B visa fee hike (September 2025) What a proposed 15% cap on foreign admissions in the US could mean for Indian students (October 2025) Anxiety on campus after Trump says visas of pro-Palestinian protesters will be cancelled (January 2025) ‘I couldn’t believe it’: F-1 status of some Indian students restored after US reverses abrupt visa terminations (April 2025) 3. Academic Freedom & Policy Exclusive: South Asian University fires professor for ‘inciting students’ during stipend protests (September 2025) Exclusive: Ministry seeks explanation from JNU V-C for skipping Centre’s meet, views absence ‘seriously’ (July 2025) SAU rows after Noam Chomsky mentions PM Modi, Lankan scholar resigns, PhD student exits SAU A series of five stories examining shrinking academic freedom at South Asian University after global scholar Noam Chomsky referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an academic interaction, triggering administrative unease and renewed debate over political speech, surveillance, and institutional autonomy on Indian campuses. 4. Mental Health on Campuses In post-pandemic years, counselling rooms at IITs are busier than ever; IIT-wise data shows why (August 2025) Campus suicides: IIT-Delhi panel flags toxic competition, caste bias, burnout (April 2025) 5. Delhi Schools These Delhi government school grads are now success stories. Here’s what worked — and what didn’t (February 2025) ‘Ma’am… may I share something?’ Growing up online and alone, why Delhi’s teens are reaching out (December 2025) ... Read More

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