The haze surrounding the suicide of Mudasir Kamran, the Kashmiri research scholar at the English and Foreign Languages University (Eflu), is thickening by the day.
According to the initial version of the police Proctor Harish Vijra had called the OU police and informed them about the quarrel between Mudasir and Vasim, after which they were brought to the police station. However, students said it was Prof. Vijra who went to the police station with Vasim.
University authorities, meanwhile, claimed that the Proctor had no role in the complaint, and it was Vasim, accompanied by a few other students, who went to the police station. To complicate the matters further, a press release by the Deputy Commissioner of Police on March 5 said Vasim, accompanied by two more students, came to the police station, followed by the Proctor and two more professors. However, the very next day, a clarification issued by the two aforementioned students refuted the claim. Mudasir hanged himself a day after he was taken to the police station, and students hold Prof. Vijra responsible for the same.
The DCP’s statement suggested that Mudasir had made “several physical advancements by touching his (Vasim’s) body, kissing, hugging etc.”, prompting certain sections in the media to go overboard about Mudasir’s alleged homosexuality.
However, there is nothing in Vasim’s complaints to the Proctor or to the police, to corroborate the same. Only at one place, had Vasim said that Mudasir “used vulgar sign of kisses to humiliate.” While Vasim twice complained to Prof. Vijra of Mudasir stalking, harassing and thrashing him, Mudasir’s reply redirected the same complaints against Vasim.
Further, Mudasir had lodged a complaint against another student (name withheld) on February 11, accusing him of threats. This student too had reportedly lodged a counter-complaint against Mudasir on the same day with similar allegations.
Proctor’s warning
The Proctor’s office issued a warning letter to Mudasir on February 15, a day after Vasim’s second complaint, saying that there were several complaints of serious nature against Mudasir’s behaviour. However, Mudasir’s reply to it clearly states he was not informed of the other complaints. “I should have been informed every time the office received such complaints. As far as I know, it is Vasim Salim Tamboli (PhD, ELE) who lodged a complaint against me recently. And it is I who lodged a complaint against (name withheld) very recently. Could I, therefore, request you to let me know everything in detail?” he asked. It is not known if his question was answered.
University authorities claim a three-member committee had been constituted to look into the issue, but Mudasir died before it could meet. “Going by the complaints, we suspected that Vasim was vulnerable to suicide. But it turned out to be Mudasir,” said a professor under the condition of anonymity.
