Himachal Sexual Assault Case: Student Dies, Four Booked Including Professor

A second-year student of Government Degree College in Dharamshala has died after alleging sustained ragging and sexual harassment, leading to police charges against three students and a professor. The case involves a video the student recorded on a mobile phone, where detailed claims of inappropriate touching and mental abuse were made shortly before death.

Police said a case of ragging and sexual assault has been registered against three female students, identified as Harshita, Akriti, and Komolika, along with college professor Ashok Kumar. All four are accused after the family submitted the video and a detailed complaint. The student died on 26 December while receiving treatment in Ludhiana's DMC Hospital.

Dharamshala ragging case: timeline of complaint and police investigation

The student's father told police that on 18 September the three named students allegedly assaulted the teenager in a violent act of ragging and then warned the student not to speak about it. Earlier, on 20 December, the father said a complaint had been filed with the police and the chief minister's helpline, but no action followed.

According to the complaint, the student had been under severe stress for months. The father alleged that professor Ashok Kumar's behaviour, including indecent touching and constant humiliation, caused serious mental pressure. The family stated that health problems kept increasing, and the student needed treatment at several hospitals before final admission to DMC Hospital in Ludhiana.

Dharamshala ragging case: video allegations against professor

The family approached police again after discovering a video that the student recorded on a mobile phone shortly before death. In the clip, the student directly accused Ashok Kumar of inappropriate physical contact and repeated mental harassment in the classroom and on campus. The student also said the accused persons warned against protesting or speaking up.

Police officer Ashok Rattan said a case has been registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Himachal Pradesh Educational Institutions (Prohibition of Ragging) Act, 2009. Investigators initially examined only ragging claims because the 20 December complaint mentioned that angle. The inquiry later widened once the video and harassment allegations against the professor were submitted.

Dharamshala ragging case: college response and academic issues

The college administration has tried to distance itself from the allegations. Principal Rakesh Pathania said the student had failed three subjects in the first year and, under university rules, could not be promoted. The principal stated that the student wanted second-year admission regardless and believed the college was blocking it deliberately.

Pathania said, "She approached the professor who teaches geography, her main subject, and it was explained to her that she had to take admission to the first year again. So, she was also depressed because of her results and felt we were deliberately denying her admission in the second year. Based on the information given to me by teachers, she has not attended classes since July 29," the principal said.

The principal further claimed that staff members tried contacting the student's parents after noticing the long absence but did not receive any reply. Pathania said, "We have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to ragging. Students are encouraged to approach teachers on the ragging committee and there are several women teachers she could have complained to, but she did not. The college did not receive any such complaint. Another complaint to the chief minister's helpline in December did not reach us because the name of another college was mentioned. We are cooperating with the police," he explained.

Addressing the allegations against the professor, Pathania added, "Harassment allegations are also being made. The professor in question has been teaching for years and I don't want to say more about this because it is for the police to investigate," he added. Police said they are checking records from every hospital where the student received treatment to track how the health condition changed before death.

The case has now moved into a wider investigation, covering claims of ragging, sexual harassment, academic stress, and the college's handling of complaints. Police are expected to examine the video, medical records, and statements from students, staff, and family as they assess the role of each accused person in the Dharamshala incident.