Protests break out in BHU after girl student molested

Varanasi: The Indian Institute of Technology in the Banaras Hindu University (IIT-BHU) on Thursday witnessed massive protests after a student alleged that she was molested on campus by three unidentified men, who forcibly kissed her, took off her clothes, and then recorded a video of her.

The alleged incident took place late Wednesday night.

Thousands of students gathered in protest at the institute director’s office on Thursday, demanding better security arrangements on the campus.

Later, the IIT-BHU administration issued a notice saying that "all barricades in the institute shall henceforth be closed from 10 pm to 5 a.m.".

The entry of outsiders has been banned on he campus.

A police case has been lodged against three unidentified men under sections 354-B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and under relevant sections of the Information Technology Act.

In her complaint to the police, the student said: "I am a resident of a hostel at IIT-BHU. On November 2 around 1.30 am, I left my hostel for a walk. I met a male friend. We were walking together, a motorcycle approached us from behind with three men.

"They parked their motorcycle and separated my friend and me. They shut my mouth tightly and took me to a corner, kissed me forcibly, and took off all my clothes, and recorded photos and videos. When I shouted for help, they threatened to kill me. They let me go after 10-15 minutes. When I ran towards my hostel, I heard the sound of the motorcycle. Then, I hid at the residence of a professor, who took me to the security officials."

The local police have initiated an investigation into the matter.

Reacting to the incident, the Congress said, “This is the condition of a prestigious institute of the country. UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath trumpets this law-and-order situation, where a girl student is molested inside the university."

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said in a post: "Are BHU campuses and even top institutions like IITs not safe now? Is it no longer possible for a girl student in the Prime Minister's constituency to walk fearlessly inside her own educational institution?"

Abhay Singh, the secretary of the Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) unit at BHU, along with its members, joined the protest and called for the swift identification of the accused and the enforcement of strict legal action against them.

The IIT-BHU administration, meanwhile, has decided to implement a new security measure.