Woman student at West Bengal's Visva Bharati University has accused 3 seniors of harassing her
A first-year student at the iconic Visva-Bharati University in Shantiniketan in West Bengal has alleged that three senior students forced her to strip, photographed her and then threatened to post the pictures on the internet if she did not pay them money.
The young woman has alleged in her complaint to the university's sexual harassment committee that she was forced to pay the men Rs 4.000. All the three men, two of who are second-year students and one from the third year, are reportedly absconding.
The student left town by train on Friday evening, escorted by her father, without filing a police complaint. A university vehicle escorted by security personnel took them to the railway station.
The alleged incident took place on August 8. The woman complained only on August 26, a day after her father arrived. He said she was so traumatised that she had to be admitted to hospital for a day.
He alleged that the university has discouraged him from going to the police, a charge that the university has refuted.
"She came here smiling, but is leaving in tears," said the student's father, adding he was insulted that the university had offered him money to "buy clothes."
"I felt insulted yesterday, but I could not say anything. My child has suffered. They are ignoring that and they are offering me money. I am waiting. If they give justice, then fine. If they don't, I should go to the police," the father said.
University Vice-Chancellor Sushanta Datta Gupta told NDTV, "I got to know of the ghastly incident yesterday. The matter has immediately been referred to the sexual harassment committee. He denied that the university had discouraged the girl and her father from going to the police. "Depending on the sexual harassment committee's findings, legal action will be taken," he said.