In a significant development in the tragic case from Dharamshala Government College, one of the three accused women students has publicly denied all allegations of ragging and sexual harassment. The case pertains to the death of their 19-year-old classmate on December 26 last month.
Accused Student's Public Defense
In a video statement circulated on social media, the accused student presented a detailed rebuttal of the charges filed against her and her classmates. She firmly stated that neither she nor the other accused were involved in any form of ragging, nor did they witness such harassment occurring within the college premises.
The student raised a critical question, asking how it was possible for them to rag their own classmate as they were all first-year BA students together. She further emphasized the caste dynamics, noting that all the accused and the deceased belong to the Scheduled Caste community, making caste-based harassment implausible. Expressing her confusion, she said she could not comprehend why these serious allegations were leveled against her.
Details of the Allegations and Counter-Claims
The student provided additional context, revealing that they had only heard from another student that a third-year individual had ragged the victim. However, she stressed that there was no concrete proof of this incident, and their knowledge did not extend beyond this hearsay.
In a revealing personal detail, the accused student alleged that the deceased was "scared of her father," describing him as a "very strict" figure. The video statement also extended support to the suspended associate professor, who is a co-accused in the case. The student claimed the professor was innocent and had never made the victim feel uncomfortable in any manner.
College Teachers Rally Behind Suspended Professor
The faculty of Dharamshala Government College has also voiced strong support for the associate professor, who was suspended on Saturday. This suspension came just two days after a formal police case was registered against him and the three students.
In an official statement, the teachers defended their colleague's character, asserting he possessed an "unblemished record and impeccable integrity." Addressing the caste-related allegations, they clarified that the teacher himself belongs to the Other Backward Class (OBC) category, suggesting that claims of casteist motives are far from the truth.
Legal Framework and Police Action
The case was initiated based on a complaint filed by the deceased student's father. Acting on this, the police have registered a formal case under several stringent sections of the law.
The charges include:
- BNS Section 75: Pertaining to sexual harassment.
- BNS Section 115(2): Related to causing hurt.
- BNS Section 3(5): Concerning common intention.
- Section 3 of the Himachal Pradesh Educational Institution (Prohibition of) Ragging Act 2009.
This legal action marks a serious step in addressing the incident that led to the untimely death of the young student, as the investigation continues to unfold amidst these conflicting claims and public statements.
