A five-member committee from the Himachal Pradesh education department visited the Government Degree College in Dharamshala on Monday. Their mission is to investigate the serious allegations surrounding the death of a 19-year-old student last month. The panel is probing claims of ragging and sexual harassment.
Fact-Finding Committees Spring Into Action
The state-level committee, led by Additional Director (Colleges) Harish Kumar, includes principals from three government colleges. During their visit, they recorded statements from college staff and students. They also collected documents related to the case. A college official confirmed the panel spoke to all concerned individuals, including teachers and students.
This panel was constituted on January 3 following allegations that an associate professor sexually harassed the deceased student. There were also claims that three female students ragged her. The committee is expected to submit its report within three days. The state government will take action based on its findings.
In a parallel move, a separate fact-finding committee set up by the University Grants Commission (UGC) on January 2 is also expected to visit the college soon. This underscores the gravity with which authorities are treating the incident.
Police Case and Viral Allegations
The legal process began when the girl's father filed a formal complaint. Acting on this, police registered a case on January 1. The accused associate professor and three female students have been charged under several sections:
- Section 75 (sexual harassment) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
- Section 115(2) (causing hurt) of the BNS.
- Section 3(5) (common intention) of the BNS.
- Section 3 of the Himachal Pradesh Educational Institution (Prohibition of) Ragging Act 2009.
The case gained public attention after a video went viral on social media. In the video, the deceased student purportedly alleged that the accused associate professor, who has since been suspended, touched her inappropriately.
Student's Tragic Demise and Medical Investigation
According to the college administration, the deceased was a BA first-year student. She stopped attending college in July 2025 after failing her exams and not being promoted to the second year.
Her health later began to deteriorate. In a desperate bid for treatment, her father took her to seven different hospitals across Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. Tragically, she passed away while admitted to the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital in Ludhiana on December 26.
Police have now obtained her medical records from all the hospitals where she was treated. An officer stated that a board of medical experts will examine these records to determine the exact cause of her death.
National Commission for Women Steps In
The case has drawn the attention of the National Commission for Women (NCW). Taking cognizance of the serious allegations, the NCW has asked the Himachal Pradesh police department to submit an action-taken report within five days. This adds another layer of oversight to the ongoing investigations.
The coming days are critical as the state committee's report is awaited. Its findings will likely shape the government's response and determine the course of justice in this tragic case that has raised urgent questions about student safety on campus.
