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SRM University students stage protest on campus alleging inaction on sexual harassment complaint
A 28-year-old man, whose alleged harassment of a girl student inside the ladies’ hostel on campus triggered a massive protest by students of SRM University, Kattankulathur, was arrested on Friday. The action came after more than 200 students staged protest charging the management with failing to take immediate action and insensitive comments by a senior warden – now placed under suspension.
By
migrator
migrator
Chennai
The man, identified as Arjunan Subramanian of Potheri, used to collect food waste from the college hostels to feed his pigs. Though he had special permission to collect waste from the women’s hostel, he was not allowed use the elevator.
When a second-year student entered the lift around 3.30 pm on Thursday, Arjunan was already inside. When the doors closed, he allegedly began to masturbate in front of the girl. The girl shouted for help, and ran out seeking help when the elevator halted on the eighth floor, while he managed to escape.
After the incident, a group of girls went to senior hostel warden Shankari, who allegedly failed to take the issue seriously and told them that the action would be taken after discussing with the management on Friday.
While they tried to file a complaint at the Maraimalai Nagar police station, the students were told that the case can be filed only after getting a complaint from the management.
This led to a protest by more than 200 students, who charged the management of not taking immediate action.
This brought the DSPs of Vandalur and Chengalpattu, who tried to pacify them. However, they demanded a proper response from the management.
Following this, authorities, including Vice-Chancellor Sandeep Sancheti, held talks with the agitating students and promised action. On Friday morning, a complaint was lodged with the Maraimalai Nagar police, after which he Arjunan was arrested under sections 354 (outraging the modesty of women) and 294(b) (abusing) of the IPC.
Meanwhile, trying to douse the fire, SRM management claimed the delay in filing the complaint, which led to the protests, was because they had to take the consent of the parents of the girl student.
The hostel warden, who earned the agitators’ ire with alleged indifference over the harassment, has also been suspended, added the statement from the management.
“The culprit in question is an outsourced contractual employee who collects food waste from the mess. Having breached security, he was in the lift when the incident occurred.
As the hostel is well equipped with CCTV cameras, it helped us to identify the culprit,” the statement added. The management maintained that the SRM Institute of Science and Technology had woman guards and counsellors for the safety and well-being of the girl students on campus.
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