In a significant development in the alleged ragging and sexual harassment case at Dharamshala Government College, one of the three accused female students has publicly denied all charges. The case pertains to the death of a 19-year-old classmate on December 26 last year.
Accused Student's Public Defense
In a video statement circulated on social media, the accused student firmly rejected claims that she or her peers ragged or harassed their fellow first-year BA student. She expressed confusion over the allegations, questioning the logic behind them. "We were all classmates in the BA first year. How is it possible that we ragged our own classmate?" she stated in the video. She further emphasized a shared social identity, adding, "We all belong to the Scheduled Caste community and can't possibly harass someone who belongs to the same caste as we do."
The student suggested that the narrative of ragging originated from hearsay, mentioning they were told a third-year student was involved, but there was no proof. She also made a personal observation about the deceased, alleging that the girl was "scared of her father, as he was very strict."
Support for the Suspended Professor
In her video, the student also came out in strong support of the associate professor who was suspended in connection with the case. She asserted his innocence, claiming he never made the deceased student feel uncomfortable. This defense aligns with the stance taken by the college faculty.
The teachers of Dharamshala Government College issued a statement backing the professor, highlighting his "unblemished record and impeccable integrity." Addressing the caste-related allegations, they noted that the teacher himself belongs to the Other Backward Class (OBC) category, implying the claims were unfounded.
Legal Action and Charges
The case was set in motion after the deceased girl's father filed a formal complaint. Based on this, the police registered a case against the associate professor and the three female students. The charges are serious and multi-faceted, including:
- Sections related to sexual harassment and causing hurt under the new Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
- Section 3 of the Himachal Pradesh Educational Institution (Prohibition of) Ragging Act, 2009.
The professor's suspension came on Saturday, just two days after the First Information Report (FIR) was officially registered.
This case has cast a spotlight on the issues of ragging and campus safety in Himachal Pradesh, with the accused student's public denial adding a new layer of complexity to the ongoing investigation. The police continue to probe the circumstances that led to the tragic death of the young student.
