Daijiworld Media Network – Jodhpur

Jodhpur, Sep 4: Tension gripped IIT Jodhpur after a heated departmental meeting turned violent on Wednesday, leading to the arrest of an assistant professor for allegedly assaulting the institute’s director.

Police said Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering, Dr Deepak Kumar Arora, was arrested for abusing and manhandling Director Dr Avinash Kumar Agrawal during the meeting. Both men sustained minor injuries in the incident. Arora, however, was released on bail later in the day.

Following the incident, the IIT administration suspended the professor in the evening.

SHO Karwad Lekhraj Siyag confirmed that counter-FIRs were filed. Registrar Ankur Gupta lodged a complaint on behalf of the director, accusing Arora of assault, obstructing government work, and using caste-related slurs. The complaint further alleged that Arora attacked the director, injuring his foot.

In retaliation, Arora filed an FIR against the director and his associates, accusing them of wrongful confinement, obstruction of duty, and physical assault. Sources claimed that Arora also assaulted a staff member from the director’s office, injuring his arm, while allegedly issuing caste-based abuses and threats.

According to insiders, the clash began when Director Agrawal criticised the performance of the department over the last five years. Arora reportedly retorted that the institute itself had failed to achieve any major milestone under the director’s leadership.

Police investigation into the matter is underway.