New harassment cases reported in UP varsities
LUCKNOW/ALLAHABAD/KANPUR: Three new cases of sexual harassment have come to light from university campuses in Lucknow, Allahabad and IIT-Kanpur even as Banaras Hindu University (BHU) continues to face heat over a similar case on its campus and the violence that followed.
According to University Grants Commission (UGC) data, one-fourth of all sexual harassment cases in India were reported from campuses in Uttar Pradesh.
At Allahabad University (AU), a student was expelled after a female student raised accusations against him. University proctor Professor Ram Sevak Dubey confirmed that a complaint was made against a BA II student and said the accused had been asked to report at his office.
“We have asked him to bring his parents along,” the proctor said.
Dubey has also written to the district magistrate and SSP, saying he feared that some individuals may try to disturb peace on campus and create a “BHU-like situation” ahead of students’ union polls on October 14. A police case was also registered against the accused at the Colonelganj police station.
The action comes barely days after university students took out a procession in solidarity with BHU students and their demand for a crackdown on roadside romeos.
Dubey also held a meeting with female students, assuring them that they were safe on campus.
In Lucknow University, an MBA student was accused of sending objectionable messages to a female student, proctor Vinod Singh confirmed.
The matter was reported to women’s helpline 1090.
“If required, we will refer the matter to the university’s women harassment committee for further investigation,” Singh said.
“We are checking reports that the victim and accused knew each other. The accused student has also shown messages in support of his claim that the girl knew him well but was now trying to avoid him due to family pressure. If true, that gives a fresh dimension to the case,” Singh added.
Meanwhile, at IIT-Kanpur, students threatened to stage a protest if the entry of “outsiders” on campus wasn’t checked.
The students are agitated over the “apathetic attitude of Kalyanpur police and the security guards of the institute” for not initiating action against a youth accused of passing lewd remarks while a female student was playing badminton.
The students alleged that under pressure from a local politician, police and security guards were trying to hush up the matter. Students claimed that despite a police complaint, no action has been initiated against the accused.
However, deputy director of IIT-K, Dr Manindra Agarwal, said an FIR had been registered. The accused is allegedly not a student of IIT-K.
“The accused is a resident of Nankari village close to the institute,” Agarwal said.
Residents of Nankari pass through IIT-K campus. The college administration has not agreed to the students’ demands to bar entry of all outsiders.
“It’s not possible, for various reasons, to disallow people of Nankari village from passing through the campus,” Agarwal added.
Circle office (CO) of Kalyanpur police circle Rajneesh Verma confirmed that a police complaint had been made against the accused, a minor.