Following the death of a 19-year-old Dalit girl student who was reportedly subjected to ragging and sexual harassment at her college, outrage has spread across Himachal Pradesh. Amid the backlash, the college administration has defended the accused professor, Ashok Kumar, and claimed that the deceased was not enrolled as a student after failing three subjects in her first year.
The disturbing case surfaced on Friday from Dharamshala, where Pallavi, who allegedly faced ragging and sexual harassment at her college, died after undergoing prolonged medical treatment.
The incident has triggered widespread anger and raised serious questions about the role of the college authorities and the police. In connection with the case, the police have registered an FIR against four female students and one college professor.
However, the case has taken a controversial turn as the college administration has refused to recognise the deceased as a student of the institution for the ongoing academic session.
This stance has led the victim’s family and guardians to question how both the college authorities and the police handled the matter.
After Pallavi’s death, who was associated with Dharamshala Degree College, grave allegations of ragging, sexual harassment and mental torture have come to light.
Based on a complaint filed by the victim’s father, Vikram Kumar, Dharamshala police registered a case under Sections 75, 115(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), related to sexual harassment, voluntarily causing hurt and common intention. The FIR also invoked Section 3 of the Himachal Pradesh Educational Institutions (Prohibition of Ragging) Act, 2009.
Confirming the registration of the case, Kangra ASP Veer Bahadur said the matter had earlier been raised through the Chief Minister’s helpline.
Responding to questions about police action, he said, “Questions are being raised about the police. The fact is that as soon as we received information, we contacted the victim’s family and learned that they were outside Dharamshala for their daughter’s treatment.”
He further stated that the family of the victim was asked to inform the police once they returned to Dharamshala. “The police are now investigating the matter, in which four female students and one professor have been named as accused,” the ASP said.
Meanwhile, the deceased student’s father, Vikram Kumar, strongly objected to the conduct of the college administration, the police, and what he described as the prevailing mindset of society. He stated that the college where he sent his daughter to pursue her education failed to protect her.
“Not only did college students mistreat her, even the professor left no stone unturned in torturing her,” he alleged. Vikram further said that his daughter was subjected to caste-based abuse and severe 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 mediapersons.
Expressing disappointment with the police, he said the family was forced to approach the Chief Minister’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. Following the incident, the college authorities have 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 ongoing academic year.
“Therefore, saying that she was studying in this college would not be fair to the college’s image,” Pathania said. He further added that the student had failed 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 said 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 supported the accused professor Ashok.
While expressing sympathy for the grieving family, he said, “The ground reality is that the allegations against our professor Ashok are completely baseless. I strongly condemn them and stand with the professor.” Similarly, Monica Makkar, Professor of Psychology at the college, also came in support of 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 entered the matter after the student’s death.
Speaking to reporters, ABVP state secretary Nancy Atal said the ABVP 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 alleged that the police failed in their duty, adding that they often delay action in criminal cases but act swiftly to suppress student movements.
Meanwhile, the investigation is ongoing, and more details are awaited.
Also Read: UGC sets up panel to probe Dharamshala student’s death
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