Himachal Ragging Case: College Says Deceased Not Enrolled As Student, Failed 3 Subjects In First Year

(MENAFN- IANS) Dharamshala, Jan 3 (IANS) After the death of a 19-year-old female student, who was allegedly subjected to ragging and sexual harassment at her college, triggered widespread outrage across Himachal Pradesh, the college administration has come out in support of the accused professor and said that the woman was not enrolled as a student after she failed 3 subjects in the first year.

The deeply disturbing case came to light on Friday from Dharamshala, where Pallavi, who was allegedly subjected to ragging and sexual harassment at her college, died while undergoing prolonged treatment.

This case triggered widespread outrage and has raised questions over the role of the college and police administration.

In connection with the case, police have registered an FIR against four female students and a college professor.

However, the matter has taken a controversial turn as the college administration has refused to recognise the deceased as a student of the institution for the current academic year.

This has led the victim's family and guardians to question the conduct of both the college authorities and the police in handling the case.

Following the death Pallavi, who was associated with Dharamshala Degree College, serious allegations of ragging, sexual harassment and mental torture have surfaced.

Acting on a complaint filed by the victim's father, Vikram Kumar, the Dharamshala police have registered a case under Sections 75, 115(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), which deal with sexual harassment, voluntarily causing hurt and common intention. The FIR also includes Section 3 of the Himachal Pradesh Educational Institutions (Prohibition of Ragging) Act, 2009.

Confirming the development, Kangra ASP Veer Bahadur said the matter had earlier been taken up on the Chief Minister's helpline.

Addressing questions over police action, he said, "Questions are being raised about the police; the truth is that as soon as they received information about the case, they immediately contacted the victim's family and learned that they were out of town for their daughter's treatment."

He added that the family had been requested to inform the police after returning to Dharamshala.

"The police are now investigating it, in which four female students and one professor have been named as parties," the ASP said.

Meanwhile, the deceased student's father, Vikram Kumar, has raised strong objections to the conduct of the college administration, the police and what he described as the prevailing mindset of society.

He alleged that the very institution where he had sent his daughter to pursue her studies failed to protect her.

"Not only did the college students mistreat her, but even the professor did not leave any stone unturned in torturing her," he alleged.

Vikram further claimed that his daughter was subjected to casteist slurs and immense mental harassment.

"My daughter was so mentally tormented that she ultimately left this world. This is a highly condemnable incident. If strict action is not taken today, then in the near future, other daughters will also continue to be tormented in the same way as my daughter, and there is no guarantee that they will get justice," he told reporters.

Expressing disappointment with the police, he said that the family was compelled to approach the CM's helpline.

"In this situation, they too had to take the matter to the CM's helpline. If the police had been vigilant here, perhaps this wouldn't have happened," Vikram said.

After the incident, the college administration has openly defended the accused professor.

College Principal Rakesh Pathania said there was no dispute that the deceased had earlier been a student of the college, but claimed she was not enrolled during the current academic year.

"Therefore, saying that she was studying in this college would not be fair to the college's image," Pathania said.

He explained that the student had failed in three subjects in her first year and was repeatedly pressuring the department professor for admission to the second year, which was against university rules.

"She left the college and was neither admitted to the first year nor the second year. However, she was seen in college again in July and then left again in September. Therefore, currently, the student has no connection with the college as a regular student," he said.

Pathania also asserted that the college follows a zero-tolerance policy on ragging.

"Anti-ragging committee numbers are written in every block, yet we did not receive any complaint from anyone on which an enquiry could be conducted," he said.

Vikram Shri Vats, Associate Professor of Physics and Head of the Professors' Unit at the college, also came out in support of the accused professor Ashok.

While expressing sympathy for the bereaved family, he said, "The ground reality is that the allegations levelled against our college professor Ashok are completely baseless. I condemn them and stand with the professor in this matter."

Similarly, Monica Makkar, Professor of Psychology at the college, defended the accused faculty member.

"We stand 100 per cent with Professor Ashok because he has been teaching children in this college since 2006, and to this day, he has not been seen misbehaving with anyone in this way or in any other way," she said.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has also stepped into the matter following the student's death.

Speaking to reporters, ABVP state secretary Nancy Atal said the organisation stands with the victim's family and questioned the functioning of both the police and the college administration.

"If they had taken timely action on this incident, perhaps this situation would not have arisen," she said.

Atal further accused the police of failing in their duty, alleging that they often delay action in criminal cases but act swiftly to suppress student movements.

Meanwhile, an investigation is underway, and further details are awaited.

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