Himachal college student death: Govt suspends accused assistant professor; UGC, NCW take suo motu notice

SHIMLA: Amid mounting outrage over the death of a 19-year-old girl student of Govt College Dharamshala, who alleged sexual harassment and ragging, Himachal govt on Saturday suspended assistant professor Ashok Kumar, who is named in the FIR along with three female students.The suspension order came after chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu announced action against the accused faculty member. "The professor will be suspended with immediate effect. An inquiry has been ordered," the CM said even as UGC took suo motu note of the incident and ordered a probe. Kumar was granted anticipatory bail by a local court on Saturday. He denied all allegations and said he would fully cooperate with the investigation.The student died at a Ludhiana hospital last week. On a complaint from the girl's father, an FIR was registered on Thursday against the assistant professor under BNS Section 75, 115(2) and 3(5) for sexual harassment, voluntarily causing hurt and common intention, and against three female students under Section 3 of Himachal Pradesh Educational Institutions (Prohibition of Ragging) Act, 2009.Kumar was suspended pending the outcome of the departmental inquiry. During this period, he will be attached to the Directorate of Higher Education, Shimla, and shall not leave the headquarters without prior permission.The suspension order issued by secretary education, Rakesh Kanwar, says, "As per reports appearing in the electronic and print media, the prima facie involvement of the aforesaid Ashok Kumar, assistant professor, cannot be ruled out, and in order to ascertain the facts, disciplinary proceedings are contemplated."The govt order says that a four-member committee -- headed by additional director-higher education Harish Kumar and comprising the principals of Dhaliara, Baijnath and Naura govt colleges – will conduct an inquiry and submit its report within three days.Kangra ASP Veer Bahadur told mediapersons on Saturday that the accused professor and girls named in the FIR are being questioned. Police also recorded statements of the victim's family members and took a mobile phone and some documents in their possession.Those who recorded the video statement of the student before her death would also be questioned.Chairperson of state women commission, Vidya Negi, took suo motu notice of this incident and had a telephonic conversation with the Kangra SP. She sought a detailed report from the SP and asked him to conduct a fair and transparent probe into the entire incident.UGC has constituted a 5-member fact-finding committee, headed by professor Raj Kumar Mittal, to inquire into the death of the student and suggest measures to prevent such incidents. The committee will submit its report within seven days after "examining the circumstances surrounding the incident, omission and commission on the part of college functionaries, and the people responsible". The committee will also verify compliance with student welfare and safety regulations.The National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson also took suo motu cognisance of this serious incident, and wrote to the Himachal DGP, directing immediate registration of an FIR, arrest of all accused, an impartial and time-bound investigation, preservation of post-mortem and medical records, and ensuring strict action as per BNS, anti-sexual harassment laws, and anti-ragging regulations.The NCW also issued directions for departmental action against guilty or negligent faculty members, review of the anti-ragging mechanism in the college, and strengthening of campus security, awareness, and counselling systems.