The Himachal Pradesh government has taken swift action following the tragic death of a 19-year-old female student from Government College Dharamshala. The student had alleged sexual harassment and ragging before her demise last week at a hospital in Ludhiana. In response to mounting public outrage, the state suspended assistant professor Ashok Kumar on Saturday.
Immediate Suspension and Legal Proceedings
The suspension order was issued immediately after Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced action against the accused faculty member. The professor, named in an FIR alongside three female students, has been placed on suspension pending a departmental inquiry. During this period, he will be attached to the Directorate of Higher Education in Shimla and cannot leave headquarters without permission.
Secretary of Education, Rakesh Kanwar, stated in the order that based on media reports, the prima facie involvement of Ashok Kumar cannot be ruled out. A four-member committee, led by Additional Director of Higher Education Harish Kumar, has been formed to investigate. This committee, which includes principals from three government colleges, must submit its report within three days.
On the legal front, Kumar was granted anticipatory bail by a local court on the same day as his suspension. He has denied all allegations and pledged full cooperation with the investigation. The FIR against him was registered under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for sexual harassment, voluntarily causing hurt, and common intention. The three female students face charges under the Himachal Pradesh Educational Institutions (Prohibition of Ragging) Act, 2009.
Multiple Agencies Launch Investigations
The case has drawn the attention of several national and state bodies, each initiating their own probes. The University Grants Commission (UGC) took suo motu cognizance of the incident and ordered an inquiry. It has constituted a five-member fact-finding committee headed by Professor Raj Kumar Mittal. This committee is tasked with examining the circumstances of the student's death, identifying omissions by college officials, and verifying compliance with safety regulations. Their report is due within seven days.
Simultaneously, the National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson also took suo motu notice. The NCW has written to the Himachal Pradesh Director General of Police, demanding:
- Immediate arrest of all accused.
- An impartial, time-bound investigation.
- Preservation of post-mortem and medical records.
- Strict action under BNS, anti-sexual harassment, and anti-ragging laws.
- Departmental action against negligent faculty.
- A review of the college's anti-ragging mechanisms.
At the state level, the Chairperson of the Himachal Pradesh Women Commission, Vidya Negi, has sought a detailed report from the Kangra Superintendent of Police after a telephonic conversation. She has emphasized the need for a fair and transparent probe.
Ongoing Police Investigation and Next Steps
Kangra ASP Veer Bahadur confirmed that the police are actively questioning the accused professor and the three female students named in the FIR. Investigators have also recorded statements from the victim's family members and seized a mobile phone and documents in their possession. The police plan to question individuals who recorded a video statement of the student before her death.
The case highlights critical issues of student safety and institutional accountability in educational institutions. The concurrent investigations by the state government, UGC, and NCW underscore the seriousness with which the allegations are being treated. The coming days, with the submission of the inquiry committee reports, are expected to bring more clarity and determine the course of justice in this tragic incident.
