First year Vizag student jumps to death from college building after sexual assault by professor, NHRC issues notice

New Delhi: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) sought a report from the Andhra Pradesh Government and Police over the suicide of a girl student following sexual harassment by one of the faculty members of a college in Vishakhapatnam.

The commission, in notices to the Chief Secretary and the Director General of the Police of Andhra Pradesh, asked for a detailed report on the matter within four weeks. The report should include the status of the investigation, it said.

The authorities were also asked to investigate the other alleged cases of sexual harassment in the college.

The commission has taken suo motu cognizance of a media report that a first-year Diploma student committed suicide by jumping down from the 4th floor of Chaitanya Engineering College in Kommadi area, Visakhapatnam District, Andhra Pradesh on March 28 due to being unable to bear the sexual harassment by a faculty member.

Reportedly, in a message to her father on his mobile phone, she said that sexual harassment of girl students is common in the college and the management was not able to stop it, the NHRC said.

The Commission has further observed that apparently, the negligent and reckless attitude of the authorities in the institution has led to this incident.

This, as well as the allegations of sexual harassment of other students in the college, require to be investigated thoroughly so that the perpetrators are booked and such incidents of violation of the right to life and dignity do not recur.

According to the media report on March 30, the victim was subjected to sexual harassment by one of the faculty members of the college who had clicked her compromising pictures and was blackmailing her that he would upload these on social media.