A first-year Dalit student from Deshbandhu College died by suicide on Saturday, with BAPSA alleging “institutional apathy” and police negligence.
A 19-year-old Dalit student of Deshbandhu College, Delhi University, was found dead in her rented Govindpuri flat on Saturday. The student was the sister of Raj Ratan Rajoriya, the JNUSU presidential candidate from the Birsa Ambedkar Phule Students’ Association (BAPSA).
BAPSA has alleged “institutional apathy” by Delhi University and procedural lapses by the police in handling the case. According to Rajoriya, police arrived without a doctor and denied requests to call for one, saying that too much time had passed. It was also alleged that they asked the deceased’s brother to check the vitals and subsequently declared the person dead verbally. Rajoriya also claimed that no female officers were present during the investigation except for one woman from the crime department who came to collect evidence. He added that there were not enough personnel to carry the body from the sixth-floor flat, forcing them to use a blanket instead of a stretcher.
BAPSA alleged that Delhi University offers hostel accommodation to only 0.71% to 1% of its students, making it difficult for marginalised students to find safe and affordable housing. The deceased, they said, lived in a congested rooftop flat with poor ventilation and no lift, reflecting unsafe and isolating living conditions. “This questions the legality of such structures and the complicity of the authorities,” they said.
The organisation also highlighted the lack of mental health support on campus, stating that DU has only one visiting psychiatrist and no clinical psychologists for over seven lakh students. A police officer reportedly told the group that this was the sixth suicide linked to Deshbandhu College in 2025, none of which have been officially recorded by the university.
“Will Delhi University take accountability? How long will Dalit students have to die in universities due to institutional failure?” BAPSA asked. They urged Bahujan and progressive students to unite and demand accountability for “the systemic neglect that continues to push marginalised students to the brink.”
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Image Credit: Deshbandhu College Website
Anjali Kumari Jha
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