Pro-Gazan demonstration: Delhi Police harass ex-IIT professor
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New Delhi: A retired professor of IIT Delhi, Professor VK Tripathi, allegedly got harassed by the Delhi Police after he observed a full day of fasting in solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza on Independence Day.
In a viral video shared by the professor's daughter, a police officer could be seen arguing with the 77-year-old professor, Maktoob Media reported.
Sharing the video, his daughter Rakhi Tripathi, wrote on X, “Heartbroken. My father, Prof. V.K. Tripathi, fasted all day at Rajghat for Gaza, handing out flyers. Around 6 pm, many police came shouting and speaking with hatred, as if we were there to cause trouble. I can’t believe this is our police. So much hate and prejudice.”
Papa, Prof VK Tripathi, left home at 10 am with fliers on Gaza. He’ll spend the day on the streets, wearing these posters. He is deeply hurt by the Mass Starvation in Gaza. He will fast on Aug 15th. 
— Rakhi Tripathi (@rakhitripathi) August 12, 2025
Please sign the petition and let the world know that there are Indians across… pic.twitter.com/QEFVGIM9Lp
According to what the professor’s daughter told Maktoob Media, she and the professor, along with a few others, went to Rajkhat in August to distribute pamphlets and share the signature campaign in solidarity with Gaza.
While they were distributing pamphlets, a man heckled them, and when they countered him, he threatened that he would call the police on them. They told him to go ahead. Later, when they were about to wind up in the afternoon, a dozen police officials came to where they were standing and started questioning them.
Rakhi said that the officials were very rude to them, asked her to stop video shooting, asked them about Bangladeshi Hindus, asked them to go to Gaza and claimed that Modi is doing a wonderful job in India.
Women police officers tried to grab her hand, she said, when a police inspector talked rudely to her father, without considering his age or that he had fasted for a day.
Meanwhile, Professor Tripathi said he was shaken and disturbed by the ‘disgusting behaviour’ of the police. However, he said that he will continue his activism for Gaza.
“India is supporting Israel, which is visible in their policy, where they are against all kinds of protest for Palestine but have no problem when people are protesting for Israel,” the professor told Maktoob Media.