The National Commission for Women (NCW) has written to DGP Anjani Kumar demanding that the police investigate the atrocities faced by women on the campus of English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) in Hyderabad. The NCW also told the police to file an action-taken report within a week.
The commission wrote to the police, following a complaint from Rajya Sabha MP V. Sivadasan, who highlighted the the matter concerning women’s safety on ELFU campus. “Two unknown assailants within the campus have sexually and physically assaulted a girl. It has been alleged that the incident happened against the backdrop of continuing protests by the students for reconstituting the hitherto-inactive internal committee for gender sensitisation to deal with cases of sexual harassment on campus,” said their letter to the DGP.
It was alleged that the university’s security personnel had manhandled the students during their protest and that the administration was trying to muzzle the students instead of addressing their just demands, they said.
The incident
The student was allegedly ambushed by two unidentified men near the old dispensary building close to gate number three of the campus around 10 p.m. on October 18. After finding her lying unconscious, two other students took her to the university health centre as she had bruises and other injuries on her neck and head.
Students said the staff treated this matter insensitively and discouraged students’ attempts to make the matter public. “The woman was first questioned why she went to that part of the campus and was further ‘suggested’ to keep the matter to herself,” added the students.
The students continued to protest, demanding action against the perpetrators and about the laxity of the management. The Osmania University police, who are yet to make arrests by identifying the men involved in the assault, also booked students for protesting on the residential part of the campus.
