Five DU College SOL students vandalize property in revenge attack; police complaint filed

A complaint has been filed against five students of the School of Open Learning (SOL) for damaging the property of Shaheed Bhagat Singh College of Delhi University (DU) in an act of revenge after one of them was caught cheating in an exam last week. A first-year SOL student of the Bachelor in Arts Pass programme was allegedly caught cheating using his mobile phone at his exam centre at Shaheed Bhagat Singh College during the English paper on June 26, PTI reported.

The university arrested him for using “unfair means” during the exam and sent the file to Delhi University along with his mobile phone, as per the university’s guidelines. The university suffered a loss of Rs 2.5 lakh due to damage to its property, officials said.

University principal Arun Kumar has written a letter to SOL director Payal Mago, requesting her to take strict disciplinary action and ask the students to compensate for the damage. “The students have indulged in an act of trespass, threats and vandalism on the university property in order to take revenge for being arrested on mala fide grounds,” the letter read.

Further, while informing the SOL Director about the incident, the Principal wrote, “On the above-mentioned date, five students of the School of Open Learning during examination entered Classroom C-3, Block C, Ground Floor without permission and caused extensive damage to our interactive panel in the said classroom.”

“They also threatened the two carpenters working in the room (C-3) with dire consequences by choosing a sharp tool if they informed anyone. This act of vandalism not only disrupted our educational activities but also caused huge financial losses and fear among the staff members,” he added.

The carpenters have lodged a complaint with the college administration. The college has also lodged a formal complaint in this regard with the Malviya Nagar police station for taking action under relevant laws, PTI reported.