Saptrishi Soni ।
Dharamshala: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has ordered a detailed inquiry into the death of a student at a government degree college in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, following serious allegations of ragging and harassment.
Taking suo motu cognisance of the incident, the UGC has constituted a fact-finding committee to examine the circumstances leading to the student’s death. A senior UGC official said the Anti-Ragging Helpline registered a complaint on its own after media reports suggested that ragging may have played a role in the incident. At the same time, the college administration has maintained that the case pertains to a death and not a suicide, prompting further scrutiny.
“The UGC has taken the matter very seriously. A police investigation is already underway, and alongside this, a fact-finding committee has been formed to independently assess the incident. Student safety remains our top priority, and no one found guilty will be spared,” the official said, assuring strict action against those responsible.
According to the police, three students of the college have been booked on charges related to ragging and voluntarily causing hurt. In addition, a professor has been named in the case for allegedly sexually harassing the 19-year-old student. The student was undergoing treatment at a hospital in Ludhiana, where she died on December 26.
The case was formally registered on January 1 following a complaint filed by the student’s father. Investigations by both the police and the UGC committee are ongoing to establish the full sequence of events and fix accountability in the matter.
