No arrest yet in Punjab student’s harassment case

Victim claims family being intimidated, seeks PMO help

May 16, 2018 01:19 am | Updated 01:19 am IST - CHANDIGARH

Image for representational purpose only.

Image for representational purpose only.

Nearly two months after a woman student of the Central University of Punjab was allegedly sexually harassed, the Bathinda police are yet to arrest the accused in the case.

While the local police say it is investigating the matter and the accused would be arrested soon, the victim has now alleged that her family was being intimidated in her native village in Odisha.

The victim and other students on the campus have urged the Prime Minister’s Office and the Union Human Resource Development Ministry to intervene in the matter to deliver speedy justice.

“A woman posing as an official from the Intelligence Bureau visited my home in Odisha last month and told my parents that I was not attending classes regularly and that instead of focusing on my studies, I was doing politics in the university,” the victim said.

“I’ll file a complaint with the local police to find out about the lady who posed as an IB official,” she said.

The victim had alleged that she was harassed by the cook in the university mess on February 27 night. An FIR was registered at the Kotfatta police station in Bathinda on March 20 after the victim and the university administration approached the police. Soon after the incident, the cook was dismissed. However, the police are yet to trace him.

The students have also been demanding that the Gender Sensitisation Committee against Sexual Harassment should include their representatives. “It’s important that the committee has student representatives so that cases are dealt with urgently. It will add transparency to its working,” said Deb Kumar Barman, a student.

Bathinda SSP Navin Singla told The Hindu that the police was making all efforts to nab the accused.

“We have been conducting raids at all such locations where the accused could be hiding. We are in touch with his family and have persuaded them to get him to surrender,” Mr. Singla said.

On the victim’s family being intimidated, Mr. Singla said: “We have not received any complaint…However, if the victim approaches us, we will investigate.”

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