Boy sexually assaulted on Pondicherry University campus

Puducherry: A male student of Pondicherry University was allegedly sexually harassed by a gang on the campus on Tuesday night. The boy, pursuing first year masters’ degree in Sanskrit, was walking by Sarvapally Radhakrishnan hostel at around 11.30 pm on Tuesday when he was stopped by four men on two bikes.

The student who hails from Odisha was allegedly abducted on one of the bikes by the gang to a remote area near the sports ground. For the next few hours, the kidnappers reportedly sexually abused the boy at knife-point unchallenged by the security and night patrolling team. One of the criminals shot the whole incident on his smartphone. They snatched his mobile phone and demanded '5,000 to release him.

The student managed to convince the assailants to release him so that he could go to the hostel and get money. As they reached the Subrahmanya Bharathi hostel, a dispute arose, the in-mates were alarmed and criminals escaped. The issue came to light when a friend of the student wrote about it on his Facebook page and it was widely shared by students of the university.

“The student is in a state of mental shock and says that he would not be able to continue his studies here. Outsiders are entering the campus at any time and the new incident is the latest example of a security lapse,” said one of victim’s friends of the boy. Kalapet police denied that an incident of sexual harassment had occurred. A series of incidents was reported on the Pondicherry University campus last year when outsiders allegedly tried to tease girl students and one of the students was molested. The students alleged that even after a number of such incidents, the university administration has failed to ensure student safety. 

Show ID while entering Pondy varsity: Madras High court

The Madras high court on Wednesday made it clear that those who would like to enter into the Pondicherry University should show their identity card and if anyone refused to show the same, the police are at liberty to take action against such person.

Justice N. Kirubakaran directed the police to increase the police strength in the entry gate of the university to verify whether any third parties who are not connected with the University are attempting to enter into the campus.

“If anyone not connected with the University attempts to enter the campus, they can be blocked and even arrested. This order is passed only for the purpose of creating a conducive atmosphere to be maintained in the higher educational institution”, the judge added.

While passing interim orders on a petition from C.Vinod Kumar, a student of the university, which sought a direction to the authorities to ensure a peaceful atmosphere in the university in view of frequent violence occurring in the university, the judge had on November 2 directed the Puducherry police to provi-de protection to the University. Posing 11 queries to be answered by the authorities, the judge had directed the DGP to appear before the court.

Accordingly, when the case came up for hearing, the DGP appeared in person and filed a status report. The judge dispensed with the further personal appearance of DGP.