Last night at IIT Delhi: Midnight protest, barricades, and ‘Justice for Rishikesh’ slogans

At midnight, a barricade of metal bars echoed through the night air as students at IIT Delhi sealed off the main gate. Hundreds of students, their faces illuminated by phone screens, marched towards the gate in a show of solidarity for Rishikesh Kumar, a 31-year-old MSc student who had taken his own life. This protest marked the fifth day of student-led demonstrations over the suicide, with the campus now at a stalemate.

Students and staff found themselves stranded outside the barricade, with cries of "Please let us in. We are students. What wrong have we done? This is our home" ringing out. In response, a security guard declared, "Let this protest end." The protest began as a small vigil at dusk and grew to hundreds of students by midnight, culminating in a standoff that left the campus divided. No one came forward to speak to journalists, but a PhD student urged, "No video byte. We will release a statement. Please understand."

The protest was led by students who spoke of fear of administrative repercussions, explaining their reluctance to face cameras. A scholar noted the students' terror of losing placements or having their thesis submissions and degrees stalled. As the protest ended, security guards opened the side gate but continued to bar entry through the main gate, demanding IDs from students.

A message circulated among the students, warning against untrained media interactions to prevent twisted interpretations of their protest. The ongoing agitation marked the longest sustained demonstration at IIT Delhi since April 1990, with momentum sustained until the campus emptied out.