PhD Student ‘Molested’ in JNU, Says Police; JNUSU Calls Protest Against ‘Attempt to Rape’

New Delhi:  On Monday night, a PhD student in Jawaharlal Nehru University was molested when she was taking a stroll near the Vice-Chancellor’s residence inside the campus, according to the police. However, the JNU Students Union has termed the “horrifying” incident as an “attempt to rape”.

“While the survivor was walking on the ring road, a man aged 24-25, riding a motorcycle came towards her. He tried to drag her towards the forest and attempted to rape her.  When the survivor started screaming and raised alarm, the accused ran away but snatched the mobile phone of the survivor. The Cyclops QRT who reached there only after 10-15 minutes for regular patrolling was informed about the incident and the police was also called,” said a statement by JNUSU, which raised questions on women's safety inside the campus and outside.

The statement also criticised the JNU administration which, it said, “has always chosen to neglect and is another reflection of the sluggishness with which crimes against women are taken up in our country in general and the JNU campus under Mamidala (the VC Jagadesh Kumar) in particular.” JNUSU has called for a protest on Tuesday evening.

Harendra Sheshma, a PhD student, who went to the rescue of the girl after the news spread in the campus, told NewsClick over phone that the incident came to light when a police patrolling vehicle noticed the girl sitting on the pavement in a traumatised condition. Sheshma said the girl had lodged a complaint with the local police station.

Meanwhile, Gaurav Sharma, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (South West), told reporters: “We immediately rushed to the spot and found that around 11:45 pm, one of the students, who is pursuing PhD in JNU, was taking a stroll inside the campus. The incident took place when she was walking on the East Gate Road and suddenly a biker came from within the campus and tried to molest her. When she raised an alarm, the accused managed to escape and disappeared within the campus.”

The incident has triggered huge uproar with many students highlighting lacunae in campus security.  Sheshma, also the unit president of Students Federation of India, said even though the incident happened in the campus, no guard came to her rescue for 45 minutes and the security agency “is still at loss to explain why nobody was available to her even when she raised an alarm.”

“It’s more than 12 hours and the security agency could not provide CCTV footage to ascertain the details of the offender who tried to commit such a heinous crime. What is more perturbing that no university official visited the victim and assured her of assistance. It is yet to come up with its official statement about the incident,” she added.

Several students told NewsClick that eve teasing incidents within the campus were on the rise and the internal complaints committee which looks after the sexual harassment cases has “miserably failed to sensitise the campus on the question of gender.”

Raising questions over the conduct of the Delhi Police and Cyclops Security, Madhurima, Secretary, All India Students Association, said it was a matter of great concern that such a “grievous incident occurred in campus premises, yet the JNU administration has shown callous attitude and is yet to issue any official statement in support of the survivor.”

“The statement issued by the DCP is extremely casual in nature and shows no seriousness towards gender-related crimes. This shows the utter disregard and lackadaisical approach with which the JNU administration and Delhi Police handles such crimes. Increase of such incidents on campus is an indication of the inept structure of ICC. It has failed to make the complainants feel secure and has instead regularly indulged in victim blaming and siding with the assaulters.”

She said in such a situation it was imperative that GSCASH was restored forthwith. The JNUSU statement also blamed the dismantling of GSCASH its replacement with the “inefficient body called the ICC” for the rise in such incidents.

“The incident also calls forth the need to reinstate the democratically elected GSCASH to fight against sexual harassment and to sensitise the people on campus regarding gender and gender based crimes,” it added.

“The forceful and intentional dilution of an elected body like the GSCASH (the Gender Sensitisation Committee Against Sexual Harassment) was done to protect predators via the ICC while continuously trying to discourage the complaint,” alleged Madhurima.

Moushumi Basu, secretary, JNU Teachers’ Association, who said she was shocked by the incident, told NewsClick that it was a setback for girl students of the campus who could once walk without any fear even in midnight.

“The campus was once considered the safest place for girl students. Now, the accused had the audacity to commit such crime near the Eastern Gate which is very much lit and yet the security agency cannot trace where the person disappeared? As far as Internal Complaints Committee is concerned, I have been a member of this committee. This committee no longer enjoys the confidence of girl students who may approach it as they victims have been blamed at large for the crime.”

In its statement, JNUSU also noted “increased gender insensitivity in the campus with normalizing of sexist comments and misappropriate remarks along with an alarming increase in cases of stalking and harrasment.”

JNUSU pointed out that there were several instances of sightings of hooligans in speeding cars, playing loud music and hooting, making it very uncomfortable for women to step outside during the night. In most cases, it has been observed that the people involved are not even students of JNU, it said.

The students’ body also called for scrutiny into the role of Cyclops Security and “their utter failure in ensuring safe public spaces for women within the campus.”

JNU Chief Proctor Rajnish Kumar Mishra declined to comment on the matter.