A 19-year-old Himachal student dies after alleged sexual harassment by a professor and ragging by senior students. Police have booked the professor and three students, with investigations underway into the viral video and campus harassment claims.
Himachal student dies after alleged ragging and sexual harassment
Dharamshala: A 19-year-old student of a government college in Dharamshala has died while undergoing treatment in Ludhiana following alleged sexual harassment by a professor and ragging by senior students.
Police on Friday registered cases against college professor Ashok Kumar and three students Harshita, Aakriti, and Komolika under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Himachal Pradesh Ragging Act.
The case came to light after the victim’s father lodged a formal complaint on Thursday, stating that his daughter suffered severe mental stress and physical assault, which contributed to her deteriorating health and eventual death on December 26.
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According to the complaint, the student was beaten by the three senior students on September 18, 2025. The father further alleged that Professor Ashok Kumar subjected her to obscene acts and harassment, causing mental trauma.
The student was reportedly hospitalised after the incidents but could not lodge a complaint earlier due to her trauma and poor health. Investigations are underway, with authorities reviewing medical records, video evidence, and statements of all involved parties.
Police registered the case under Sections 75 (sexual harassment), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with Section 3 of the Himachal Pradesh Educational Institution (Prohibition of) Ragging Act, 2009.
The case gained traction after a video, allegedly recorded by the victim prior to her death, went viral on social media. In the recording, she accused the professor of indecent acts, intimidation, and mental harassment. The police initially received a complaint through the Chief Minister’s Sankalp Seva Helpline, but the student’s statement could not be recorded at the time due to her illness.
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Superintendent of Police, Kangra, Ashok Ratan, said that all allegations are being thoroughly investigated. The accused professor has denied all charges, and some teachers have expressed support for him.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the student enrolled in 2024 and faced ragging during her first year. After failing her BA first-year examination, she stopped attending classes and was struck off the college rolls in August 2025. She later sought re-admission but faced conditions for promotion to the second year.
Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad state secretary Nancy Atal emphasized that the accused must be held accountable to prevent similar incidents in the future.
