Delhi University forms panel to probe allegations of harassment at IP College fest
Hundreds of students of have been protesting for the past few days, demanding the resignation of the principal.
Delhi University on Monday constituted a five-member committee to investigate allegations that students at the Indraprastha College for Women were harassed during an annual festival last week, PTI reported.
Students have said that a group of men had barged into the college on March 28 by scaling the boundary walls, leading to a stampede. Several women were allegedly harassed and injured in the chaos.
“It was because of the mismanagement of the college authorities that our college mates were harassed and molested by outsiders,” an unidentified second-year student told the Hindustan Times.
The incident has led to protests by hundreds of students, who have demanded strict action against the accused persons and the resignation of principal Poonam Kumria.
Police deployment right outside the #IPCollege gate as students conduct a protest march inside the campus. This is three days after the trespassing incident where men scaled the walls and allegedly harassed students. @TheQuint pic.twitter.com/CwR8xf0BxI
— Ashna Butani (@ButaniAshna) March 31, 2023
On Monday, Delhi University asked the panel to suggest measures to curb such incidents in the future. The committee headed by South Campus director and Professor Prakash Singh has been asked to submit its report within a week, according to a notification issued by Delhi University Registrar Vikas Gupta.
The development came hours after the Delhi Commission for Women said it has started an inquiry into recurring incidents of sexual harassment of female students during college festivals.
The women’s panel summoned officials from the Delhi Police and Delhi University on April 6.
“This inquiry is on the overall issue so that strong systems are created to deter such incidents in the future,” the commission said.
DCW launches an enquiry into repeated cases of sexual harassment with girls during college fests, summons Delhi Police & DU officials to appear before d commission with details of guidelines and systems that they have built to ensure such cases will never happen in the future. pic.twitter.com/HECg1zcAsv
— Delhi Commission for Women - DCW (@DCWDelhi) April 3, 2023
Meanwhile, the Indraprastha College principal sought help from the students to identify the accused men. This was the first response from the college to the incident.
“The management of the college has constituted a committee to look into all grievances being raised by students,” the statement added. “The committee shall also analyse lapses which have taken place during the organisation of the fest and will suggest precautionary measures to be taken by the management of the college to ensure such unfortunate incidents are not repeated in future.”
Last year, several men jumped over the walls of Delhi University’s Miranda House college during a Diwali event and allegedly cat-called as well as groped students.
In 2020, students of Gargi College had alleged that a group of men barged into the campus during the annual cultural fest and sexually assaulted them while the police looked on.
