Bucket filled with water thrown at historian Irfan Habib during speech at Delhi University

A bucket filled with water was thrown at historian and professor S Irfan Habib while he was speaking at the Arts Faculty of Delhi University during a literature festival on Wednesday, reported The Indian Express.

The event was organised by the Left-affiliated All India Students’ Association.

Habib was speaking near Gate 4 of the Arts Faculty when, about 20 minutes into his address, a bucket full of water was thrown at him from behind a wall, the Hindustan Times reported.

The bucket did not hit him directly, but the water fell on him. He paused briefly before continuing his speech for several more minutes. A video of the incident was widely shared on social media.

देश के जाने-माने इतिहासकार प्रो. इरफान हबीब दिल्ली विश्विद्यालय परिसर में एक नुक्कड़ सभा को संबोधित कर रहे थे। तभी किसी ने उनपर पानी से भरा डस्टबिन फेंक दिया। मतलब अब कौन खुद को सुरक्षित महसूस करें? pic.twitter.com/3thj0cV7Sg— Ashraf Hussain (@AshrafFem) February 13, 2026

“I was talking about history and how it is being rewritten, when the bucket full of water came out of nowhere,” Habib told the Hindustan Times.

The professor told The Indian Express that while the bucket contained water, it could have contained “anything, even stones”.

Describing the incident as “disturbing”, he said that universities are spaces for diverse voices which should be respected, The Times of India reported.

“If someone...

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