Nanji NandangOVER 100 students staged a sit-in protest for days at Rajiv Gandhi National Institute of Youth Development (RGNIYD) in India, demanding the suspension of Assistant Registrar, Avinav Thakur, who is out on anticipatory bail in a rape and blackmail case.
The students are calling for Thakur’s immediate suspension citing allegations of administrative negligence, harassment, persistent surveillance, and escalating security issues on the campus.
Thakur, who has serious criminal charges against him, is currently facing a First Information Report (FIR) and is out on anticipatory bail in a rape and blackmail case.
As a result, students say they no longer feel safe and are quickly losing trust in the administration.
Oga Lecturer reports that the Student Council had issued a press release putting forward three major demands to address their concerns, including suspending Avinav Thakur until the conclusion of court proceedings, appointing a permanent Director and Registrar to ensure effective administration and allocating funds to improve academic, recreational, and infrastructural facilities.
From April 3, over 100 students have continued a sit-in protest reiterating these demands, with the main focus being the suspension of the Assistant Registrar.
The protestors highlighted that almost 60 per cent of the students are women who do not feel safe on campus due to his presence.
This is reminiscent of a protest staged by female Law students of the University of Calabar (UNICAL) in Nigeria on August 15, 2023 against then Dean of Law Faculty, Cyril Ndifon, for sexual harassment.
The students came out in their numbers carrying placards that read, “Law students are not Bonanza, Prof. Ndifon should stop grabbing us. The Faculty of Law is not a brothel,” “Ndifon must go for our sanity,” among other inscriptions.
Ndifon was suspended by the university two days later, and a panel was set up to investigate the allegations.
How Thakur’s case started
On December 31, 2024, a First Information Report was filed against Thakur by a 42-year-old Associate Professor from Zirakpur, Punjab, who alleged that Thakur repeatedly blackmailed and raped her between 2022 and 2024.
The Associate Professor said that she first met Thakur during a workshop jointly organised by Punjab Technical University (PTU) and RGNIYD, held from October 27 to 31, 2022, where he was serving as the Training Associate.
According to her report, on November 2, 2022, Thakur allegedly asked her to come and sign documents related to the workshop, then lured her to a friend’s room in Khuda Lahora. There, he allegedly offered her a cold drink laced with intoxicants, causing her to lose consciousness.
She said that she woke up naked and Thakur admitted to raping her and taking nude photos and videos, threatening to release them if she spoke out.
Shealleged that Thakur blackmailed and sexually assaulted her repeatedly from November 2022 to May 2024, noting that she also approached the lecturer’s mother and sister in June 2024, but they ignored her.
Following her First Information Report, the case came up before the Fast Track Special Court for Rape & Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Cases, Chandigarh, which Thakur was granted anticipatory bail on January 21, 2025.
However, the court also acknowledged the “serious nature of the allegations” and pointed to a “pattern of misconduct and abuse of power”—a sentiment that RGNIYD students have similarly expressed in their formal complaints.
Other allegations
In addition to the serious criminal charges, students allege that Thakur has been involved in several incidents where he misused CCTV footage to blackmail them.
“Last year, our seniors were protesting for extended library timings. During that time, the Assistant Registrar, along with another staff member, misused CCTV footage on campus,” a Student Council member said.
“After 6 pm, the campus becomes more like a public space where students and couples sit around in different corners.
These two individuals assessed and collected private footage from these areas and used it to intimidate students. They threatened to send the videos to their parents and even to the ministry, claiming that such behaviour was against Tamil culture,” the student added.
The student also shared two instances last year when Thakur, accompanied by a warden, allegedly entered the girls’ hostel without prior notice.
“According to hostel rules, male entry is prohibited except for emergency maintenance work. AR’s unannounced entry created a sense of fear and insecurity.
“Our concern is that the same person who has access to the CCTV system also entered the girls’ hostel. Female students do not feel safe under this administration,” the student said.
Students cried out
The Student Council said that they raised concerns regarding the safety of students on campus in two separate emails, on March 21 and March 26, 2025, addressed to the acting registrar and top officials.
In both emails, students said they expressed their fear, discomfort, and emotional distress at having to share a campus with someone facing such serious criminal charges.
“The ongoing allegations of rape and sexual abuse against Assistant Registrar Mr. Avinav Thakur have created a hostile and intimidating environment for us. His presence on campus makes us feel uncomfortable and unsafe,” read the March 26 letter.
The students have argued that the continued employment of Thakur in a leadership position at a government-run youth institution represents a failure of institutional ethics.
The students also highlighted the absence of a permanent director on campus, leading to administrative delays and inefficiencies.
Members of the Student Council also alleged that while they have tried to raise several issues affecting academic progress and campus life, the administration has shown no urgency in resolving their concerns.
It is also alleged that Thakur’s wife had previously filed an FIR in August 2022 under Sections 406, 498-A, and 506 of the IPC, accusing him of domestic violence and cruelty.