At a protest rally, students demand action against communal violence and registration of an FIR against those behind the attack on the meat shop owner from the Northeast
NEW DELHI — A delegation consisting of Students’ Federation of India (SFI) Delhi unit’s president Sooraj Elamon, secretary Aishe Ghosh, and trade union leader Vipin on Saturday visited the house of the Vijay Nagar shop owner, who was brutally thrashed by VHP and Bajrang Dal workers, alleging the sale of beef. The trio assured full assurance and support to the victim and his family from the Northeast.
The SFI plans to reach out to all students from the Northeast states who are facing discrimination and threats.
Meanwhile, in a powerful show of resistance and solidarity, the SFI led a protest rally on Thursday in Vijay Nagar, North Campus, following the violent mob attack on the meat. The attack, which occurred late on the night of May 28, involved a group of men allegedly affiliated with Hindutva organisations who accused the shopkeeper of selling beef products — an accusation often used to incite communal violence.
The SFI also held a demonstration in front of the police station in the area to press the demand for registration of an FIR and arrest of the perpetrators. However, the protestors claimed that the police did not seem to take any action.
In response, SFI organised a rally that marched through the locality and culminated at the site of the attack. Holding placards and chanting slogans against communal hate, the students condemned what they described as a targeted act of violence aimed at intimidating marginalised communities and polarising the campus environment.
According to eyewitnesses, the mob forcefully entered the premises and physically assaulted the person present at the shop. The attack has triggered fear and anxiety among Northeastern students and residents in the area, many of whom have historically faced racial discrimination and violence in the capital.
“Such attacks are not isolated incidents — they are part of a growing pattern of communal targeting that seeks to divide our campuses and our society,” said Sohan Yadav, a representative of SFI Delhi, addressing the gathering. “We will not remain silent while our friends and fellow students are attacked. We demand that an FIR be registered immediately, and that the perpetrators be held accountable under the law.”
The student body also criticised the inaction of the local police, who, according to students, have yet to file a formal complaint or make arrests related to the attack. SFI emphasised that police apathy contributes to a culture of impunity, emboldening those who engage in hate crimes under the guise of moral or religious policing.
“This is not just about one shop,” said Nila Sharma, a student from Manipur studying at Delhi University. “It’s about how safe we are in our own neighbourhoods and universities. We should not have to live in fear because of where we come from or what people assume about us.”
The rally drew participation from various student and civil society groups, including members of AISA, DSU, and other progressive platforms, who expressed solidarity with the Northeast community and pledged to continue raising their voices against communal and racial discrimination on campus.
Students also circulated a petition calling on the Delhi Police and the Delhi University administration to take immediate steps to ensure the safety of Northeast students in the area and establish mechanisms to address hate crimes more effectively.
“We are reclaiming our campuses from the forces of unmitigated violence,” said Yadav in his concluding remarks. “This is not the idea of India we were promised. If institutions fail to act, students will.”
As the rally dispersed peacefully, the message was clear: student communities in Delhi are refusing to tolerate communal intimidation and will stand united in defence of diversity, inclusion, and justice.
