The Hindu : New Delhi News : Lecturer assaulted by three

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, May 04, 2005

New Delhi

New Delhi

Lecturer assaulted by three

Staff Reporter

Show of anger at not being allowed to copy in exams?

NEW DELHI: A Dyal Singh College lecturer was reportedly assaulted by three young men on a motorcycle at Golk Links in New Delhi on Monday evening after he caught a student copying in an examination.

A lecturer in the History Department of the College, Manjit, had caught a first year B.A student, Pankaj, cheating in the Sanskrit examination on Monday. Later, while on his way home at around 6-30 p.m., Dr. Manjit claims to have been stopped by three motorcycle borne youths at Golf Links, who beat him up before fleeing.

According to Dr. Manjit, Pankaj was taking an exam in the evening schedule and was found talking to students and copying from something written on his palm. Despite repeated warnings, he apparently continued copying.

"When he did not stop I asked him to leave. He went out only to return after some time and requested that he be allowed to take the exam. I told him he could do so if he promised not to cheat, but when he did it again, we asked him to leave and he did so without any arguments," Dr. Manjit said.

While the lecturer thought the matter had ended, he was in for a shock. "I was returning home on my motorbike when three boys on a motorcycle indicated me to stop. All of them were without helmets, and as soon as I got out one of them snatched mine and started beating me with it, addressing me as Guruji all the time. When I started screaming, they panicked and sped off in the vehicle," he added.

While a complaint has been lodged at Tughlak Road police station by the college, the Delhi University Teachers' Association (DUTA) as well as teachers' bodies such as the Democratic Teachers' Front today condemned the act and expressed concern over the increasing number of assaults on teachers.

"The physical injury caused may be too little to take note of. But the attempt to intimidate teachers and blatant attempt to subvert the examination system which is under strain through question leakages is of concern to me," said Dr. Manjit.

With the murder of Swami Shraddhanand teacher M.N. Singh by a student who was caught cheating by him still fresh in the minds of most teachers after two years, they are now hoping that the University will finally take note.

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