In the city of Varanasi, a distressing incident involving a female student from the esteemed Indian Institute of Technology - Banaras Hindu University (IIT-BHU) has sent shockwaves through the community. The young student, who reportedly fell victim to molestation and an egregious act of stripping by three motorcycle-borne individuals near her hostel, found herself seeking refuge in the safety of a professor's residence for a nerve-wracking period of 20 minutes upon hearing the ominous sound of the bike on which the assailants had arrived.
The unsettling episode unfolded as the student, accompanied by a friend, ventured outside her hostel. It was during this fateful outing that they were suddenly accosted by three men mounted on a motorcycle. In a disturbing turn of events, the perpetrators forcibly separated her from her companion and proceeded to take her to a secluded corner, where they resorted to gagging her and subjecting her to reprehensible actions.
Tragically, the assailants, in an act of further violation, stripped the young woman of her dignity, capturing distressing visuals and photographs of her ordeal. After approximately 15 minutes of torment, they released her, but not without obtaining her phone number, as detailed in a formal complaint lodged by the aggrieved student.
Terrified that the assailants might return and subject her to further harassment, the traumatized student sought solace by knocking on the door of a professor's residence, her only sanctuary in that vulnerable moment. Upon the professor's compassionate response, the student courageously shared the harrowing details of her ordeal and beseeched him for assistance. Subsequently, the professor provided refuge for the distressed student within the safety of his home for a duration of 20 minutes.
In a commendable demonstration of concern for the student's welfare, the professor swiftly notified the Parliament Security Committee about the distressing incident. Consequently, the student was escorted safely back to her hostel under the protection of security personnel.
The aftermath of this traumatic event has left the student deeply traumatized, rendering her reluctant to step beyond the confines of her hostel. Additionally, her friend, who had also endured physical injuries during the ordeal, received necessary first aid treatment.
In response to the formal complaint filed by the student, authorities have initiated legal proceedings by registering a First Information Report (FIR). This report incorporates charges under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code, which pertains to assault or criminal force against a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty, alongside provisions of the IT Act.
Following this disconcerting incident, a collective response was initiated by concerned students who congregated at the Student Activity Centre within the IIT-BHU campus to voice their grievances. They expressed their belief that external individuals were involved in the incident and articulated their demand for stricter measures to prohibit outsiders from entering the campus.
In addition to their calls for enhanced security, the student body presented a memorandum outlining their concerns regarding the effective functioning of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and electricity infrastructure on the campus. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police RS Gautam, a dedicated team has been assembled to identify and apprehend the accused. They are actively pursuing leads based on available CCTV footage to bring those responsible to justice.
