Archive · 10 Aug 2026
JNU queer student harassed at Ganga Dhaba; DSF condemns incident
A student at a big university in India was treated badly by some other students.
This happened because of the student's queer identity and the way they dressed.
The other students said mean things and threatened to share private information about the student with their parents.
A student group called the DSF spoke up and said this behavior is wrong.
They said sharing a person's private identity without permission is like an act of violence.
The group also said the student was made to feel scared about joining protests and activities.
The university has not yet said anything about what happened.
The student is now thinking about telling school leaders and filing an official complaint.
Everyone should be kind and respectful, no matter who they love or how they look.
The Democratic Students' Federation (DSF) alleged that a queer JNU student was subjected to transphobic and queerphobic harassment by final-year School of Engineering students at Ganga Dhaba.
The harassment allegedly included moral policing over clothing and appearance, queerphobic remarks, and threats to disclose the student's queer identity to their parents without consent.
DSF said the harassment also sought to question and deter the student's participation in protests, including a recent demonstration at Jantar Mantar, and involved intimidation over class attendance.
DSF condemned the incident, calling the outing of a person without consent an act of violence, and demanded sustained queer-sensitisation on campus.
The JNU administration gave no immediate reaction, while the student is reportedly exploring options to approach authorities and file a formal complaint.
- Who
- A queer student at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU); the alleged harassment was carried out by a group of final-year School of Engineering students, according to the Democratic Students' Federation (DSF).
- What
- The student was allegedly subjected to queerphobic and transphobic harassment, moral policing over clothing and appearance, and threats to disclose their queer identity to their parents without consent.
- When
- Sunday night; the DSF reported the incident on Monday, August 10.
- Where
- Ganga Dhaba on the Jawaharlal Nehru University campus, New Delhi.
- Why
- DSF says the harassment was discriminatory, violated the student's autonomy and dignity, and was aimed at intimidating them over their political participation and class attendance.
DSF and affected student
Accused students (as described by DSF)
Nature of the incident
DSF and affected student
DSF calls it deeply discriminatory harassment and a grave violation of the student's autonomy, dignity, and right to safety; outing a person without consent is described as an act of violence.
Accused students (as described by DSF)
According to DSF, the accused students refused to acknowledge the harm caused and sought to justify their conduct in the name of 'friendship'.
- Organisation raising allegation
- Democratic Students' Federation (DSF)
- Location
- Ganga Dhaba, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
- Incident date
- Sunday night (reported Monday, August 10)
- Alleged perpetrators
- Final-year School of Engineering students
- Type of harassment alleged
- Queerphobic and transphobic remarks, moral policing, threat of outing to parents
- DSF vice president
- Puranjai
- JNU administration response
- No immediate reaction
- DSF demand
- Sustained queer-sensitisation on campus