3 Visvabharati students arrested

4th accused not yet held

Kolkata: Three students of Visvabharati University, accused of sexually harassing a female student, were arrested on Saturday evening, hours after the varsity authorities lodgeda police complaint and suspended the three. The fourth accused, however, was yet to be arrested.

Three students of Visvabharati University, accused of sexually harassing a fellow girl, were arrested on Saturday evening, hours after the varsity authorities lodged a complaint and suspended the trio. The fourth accused, however, was yet to be arrested.

Earlier in the day, university authorities suspended three students and lodged a police complaint against them for allegedly sexually harassing a first- year girl student. Bolpur SDPO Suryaprasad Yadav said a complaint against three Kala Bhavan students and an outsider was lodged by the university.

“We have initiated investigation after receiving the complaint,” he added.

The authorities, who were earlier dragging their feet, decided to take action apparently after being prodded by the Union human resources development ministry. Sources said

The authorities, who were dragging their feet, decided to take action apparently after being prodded by the Union human resources development ministry

that on Friday night, a high- level official from the Centre called up vice- chancellor Sushanta Dutta Gupta.

Ironically, only a day ago, the university had virtually prevented the victim and her father from lodging a complaint at the Bolpur police station and sent them packing to their home town. In a press statement issued on Saturday, the university announced that the internal complaint committee against sexual harassment which was asked to probe the victim’s complaint has submitted its report.

Based on its report, the FIR was lodged and the students were suspended “till further investigation”.