In a significant development in Haryana's Hisar district, the chairman of a private nursing college was arrested on Wednesday evening following serious allegations of molestation and harassment leveled by female students. The arrest led to the immediate calling off of a student-led agitation that had brought the issue to the fore.
Arrest and Immediate Fallout
Hansi police took Jagidash Swami, the chairman of Khushi College of Nursing located in Kagsar village, Narnaund, into custody. The arrest came after female students of the college filed a formal complaint, accusing him of molestation and other serious offences. Following the arrest, the protesting students, who had been demanding swift action, decided to end their agitation.
Local MLA Vinod Bhyana played a pivotal role in communicating the developments to the agitating students. He reached the protest site in the evening and confirmed the chairman's arrest. He further informed them that sections of the stringent SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act had been included in the case, addressing a key demand of the complainants. MLA Bhyana also assured the students that the process of migrating them to other nursing colleges had been initiated. He clarified that this transfer would be conducted strictly on the basis of merit and the availability of vacant seats in other institutions.
Key Demands and Assurances
Later in the evening, MLA Bhyana, along with Narnaund MLA Jassi Petwar and representatives of khap panchayats, again addressed the student body. He reiterated that the two primary demands raised during earlier interactions—the arrest under the SC/ST Act and the migration of students—were being met. "The chairman was arrested and the migration process began, though transfers would be allowed only against vacant seats and strictly on merit," he stated.
When students requested these assurances in writing, MLA Bhyana responded that his word, as a public representative, carried significant weight. Khap panchayat representatives also urged the students to trust the assurances provided during the panchayat meeting. These appeals ultimately convinced the students to disperse and end their protest.
Legal Charges and Investigation Details
An FIR has been registered against chairman Jagidash Swami, his son Amandeep Goswami, and his wife. The charges invoked are serious and include:
- Section 75(2) of the Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita pertaining to sexual harassment.
- Section 79 for word, gesture, or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman.
- Section 3(3) for common intention.
Police officials stated that statements of eight to nine students were recorded before the case was formally registered. According to the FIR, one complainant alleged a harrowing sequence of events where the chairman called her while she was en route to the mess, took her to a bathroom, molested her, and attempted to remove her clothes. The FIR also contains an allegation that he forced her to massage the feet of his favourite student in another student's room.
However, police provided a crucial clarification regarding the SC/ST Act charges. They stated that these sections would be formally added to the FIR only after verification of the complainants' caste certificates, a process which is currently underway. The police confirmed that the matter remains under active investigation.
