IIT-BHU student allegedly molested, protests erupt on campus

A female student at the Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University (IIT-BHU) in Varanasi alleged that she was molested and subjected to a humiliating ordeal by three bike-borne men in the early hours of November 2. The incident has triggered a wave of protests among students, who are demanding justice and tighter security measures on campus.

According to the victim's complaint, the horrifying incident occurred when she ventured out of her hostel in the company of a friend. The assailants, riding motorcycles, intercepted her and proceeded to molest her. She further stated that they forcibly separated her from her friend and took her to a secluded spot, where they stripped her, recorded a video, and captured images against her will. The perpetrators, after subjecting the victim to a 15-minute ordeal, released her, but not before obtaining her phone number.

Responding swiftly to the student's complaint, local authorities registered a First Information Report (FIR) under Section 354 of the Indian Penal Code, which pertains to assault or criminal force with the intent to outrage a woman's modesty. In addition, the provisions of the Information Technology Act were invoked to address the issue, the police confirmed.

In the wake of this appalling incident, students of IIT-BHU gathered at the Student Activity Center, where they held a demonstration to express their collective outrage. They allege that outsiders may have been involved in the crime and have called for stringent restrictions on non-residents entering the campus.

DCP RS Gautam stated, "While the accused are being traced, some students are demanding that the boundaries of their IIT campus be separated. Apart from this, students have also given a memorandum regarding the smooth functioning of CCTV cameras and electricity." A dedicated team has been mobilized to track down the culprits based on the available CCTV footage.

Gautam also issued a warning, stating that if any videos or photos of the victim are posted on social media, legal action will be initiated against those responsible for their dissemination.