Hyderabad: Massive protest erupts at EFLU over sexual assault on woman student

According to students, a PG student was sexually assaulted by two persons near an old health centre around 10 pm on Wednesday and she was found unconscious by other students

Hyderabad: Days after demonstrations demanding constitution of SPARSH (Sensitisation, Prevention and Redressal of Sexual Harassment) Committee via elections, a massive protest erupted on the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) campus here on Thursday over alleged sexual assault on a woman student.

According to students, a PG student was sexually assaulted by two persons near an old health centre around 10 pm on Wednesday and she was found unconscious by other students. Demanding the arrest of the suspects, over 400 students have been staging the protest on the campus since 4 am on Thursday.

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Stating that every nook and corner of the campus has been under the CCTV surveillance cameras, the protesting students lamented that one of the cameras was dysfunctional and other was not in a correct angle. “The cameras are only for surveillance but not for the students’ safety on the campus,” a protesting student said.

Raising slogans against the university administration, students demanded resignation of the Vice Chancellor, Registrar and Proctor.

“The incidents come at a time when the students protested for the constitution of the SPARSH committee. We have lodged a complaint with the university. However, the administration did not address the protesting students yet. We want immediate arrest of the predators. The student’s parents have been informed about the incident,” said a PhD student, requesting anonymity.

According to a senior university official, students wanted to hold a protest Wednesday night on the Palestine issue, which was out-rightly rejected. Later, the allegation of assault were made. “We have checked the CCTV cameras and did not find anyone at the place where the incident is said to have happened. The university has not formally received a complaint from the student so far. The police are also probing the issue,” the official said.

On the demand for SPARSH committee constitution, the official said it would be formed duly via the students’ union elections slated for November 18.

Meanwhile, in a statement, the EFLU said a proposed discussion on “Palestine: Perspectives on Literary Resistance” was disallowed by the administration.

The programme was said to be planned at the New Academic Block at 7 pm on Wednesday by an organisation which has overtly communal background, the statement said adding that the action of the University brought great displeasure to those who proposed to conduct the programme.

In another incident, a woman student of the University was alleged to have been assaulted by two unidentified persons, the varsity said.

The University officials immediately responded to the incident and have been actively taking the necessary steps including informing the police, the PRO said

The Internal Complaints Committee of the University has immediately acted upon the incident and was rendering all reasonable assistance to the person in the manner required, added the statement.

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