Two arrested after Banasthali Vidyapeeth students protest against alleged cover-up of rape case

Jaipur: Police have arrested a hostel warden and an ambulance driver today after students of Banasthali Vidyapeeth in Rajasthan's Tonk district protested against the institution's management for allegedly covering up cases of rape and molestation in the university campus.

Hundreds of students carried out a protest march on Thursday night after the hostel warden and the management allegedly threatened them to remain silent on the issue. They accused that the warden forcefully locked up the victim of the molestation case in a hostel room. She was later rescued by Tonk Superintendent of Police S Parimala. The cops had to break the lock of the hostel room to meet her.

The victim claims that she had complained about the driver misbehaving with her a fortnight back. "The driver should have been punished. I had complained to the warden and other senior people about the incident. They had assured that action would be taken, but nothing has been done so far," she said. Sources say the driver had allegedly molested the student when she was alone in an ambulance, waiting to be taken to the hospital in the campus.

The driver and the warden were arrested on the basis of complaints made by the students. A rape case was also registered against an unknown accused, though the victim has not been identified yet. "We are questioning one girl who is said to be the victim but nothing is clear whether the incident took place or not," said one of the police officers. The university administration also claims it has no idea who the victims are. Vice Chancellor Aditya Shastri said, "They (the students) could not share with me any details about what happened or who was the victim."

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All classes in the campus were suspended on Friday after the protests broke out on Thursday.

The National Commission for Women has set up a committee to inquire into the matter.

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In August this year, a 23-year old MSc first year student allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling in her hostel room, police said. The student was reportedly suffering from depression.