NCW seeks action-taken report from HP Police over Dharamshala govt college student death

New Delhi, Jan 3 (PTI) The National Commission for Women on Saturday took suo motu cognisance of the death of a 19-year-old student who was allegedly ragged, physically harassed and sexually assaulted by her college professor in Dharamshal, and sought an action-taken report from the Himachal Pradesh police within five days.

In a statement issued here, the commission termed it a “heinous, inhuman and condemnable act, and a gross violation of the life, dignity and rights of the student” and said the incident exposes the serious failures of the security mechanism in educational campuses.

According to the statement, NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar has written to the Director General of Police, Himachal Pradesh, directing him to ensure the immediate registration of an FIR and arrest of all the accused in the matter.

She further instructed him to ensure fair and timely investigation, preservation of postmortem and medical records and strict action under anti-sexual harassment laws and anti-ragging rules, the statement said.

Directions have also been issued for departmental action against the guilty faculty members, review of anti-ragging mechanism in the college and strengthening of campus security, awareness and counselling systems, it added.

The Himachal Pradesh Government on Saturday suspended an assistant professor of the Government College, Dharamshala, in connection with the alleged sexual harassment and ragging of a 19-year-old Dalit girl, who died during treatment last week.

The decision was taken after an FIR was registered for sexual harassment against Assistant Professor (Geography) Ashok Kumar, who would remain under suspension with immediate effect, pending the outcome of a departmental inquiry.

In his complaint, the student's father alleged that his daughter was beaten by three seniors on September 18, 2025, while the college professor indulged in obscene acts with her.

A video of the girl surfaced on social media in which she accused the professor of mentally harassing her, committing indecent acts, and intimidating her when she protested against his behaviour.

Her father alleged that following these incidents, his daughter went into severe mental stress, leading to a rapid deterioration in her health. She died during treatment on December 26, the complainant said.

A case was registered on Thursday under sections 75 (sexual harassment), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and Section 3 of the Himachal Pradesh Educational Institution (Prohibition of) Ragging Act 2009, with further investigations underway, police said. PTI AO OZ OZ