The death of a 19-year-old second-year college student from Dharamshala sparked outrage as the University Grants Commission (UGC) took serious note of the matter and decided to set up a commission of inquiry, assuring that those found guilty would not be spared.
He said strict measures would follow and reiterated that student safety remains paramount.
The student allegedly faced long-term expulsion and sexual harassment at her college which, according to her family, led to severe mental problems and deteriorating health, ANI reported.
Here’s what the victim’s parents had to say
The victim’s father Vikram Kumar told the police that his daughter was attacked and intimidated by three female students on September 18, 2025. He also accused the college professor of engaging in indecent acts with his daughter. According to the complaint, these incidents left the student traumatized and deeply frightened, leading to depression and serious medical complications.
Narrating the sequence of events to ANI, the victim’s father, Vikram Kumar, said, “My daughter is no more. I need justice. The accused girls and the professor should be punished. What happened to my child should not happen to anyone else.” While the victim’s mother, Ritu, said, “I don’t want any innocents to be caught. I want a thorough investigation; we have all her medical reports. I want justice for my daughter.”
The female classmates attacked the victim
Vikram Kumar told the police that his daughter was attacked and intimidated by three female classmates on September 18, 2025. He also accused the college professor of engaging in indecent acts with his daughter.
According to the complaint, these incidents left the student traumatized and deeply frightened, leading to depression and serious medical complications. Her condition worsened despite treatment at several hospitals and she died during treatment at a hospital in Ludhiana on 26 December 2025.
The father said the family was unable to contact the police immediately due to the shock of their daughter’s illness and death. However, a complaint of ill-treatment and harassment was registered earlier through the Chief Minister’s Helpline on 20 December. Both parents appealed for strict action against those responsible, saying that their daughter’s suffering must not go unpunished.
The police registers an FIR
Police have since registered an FIR against three female students and one professor under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) Act and the Himachal Pradesh Educational Institution (Prohibition) Ragging Act, 2009.
Meanwhile, the CPI (M) met the Director General of Police in Shimla and submitted a memorandum demanding a fair and impartial investigation by a senior police officer. Condoling the family, the party expressed concern over the alleged delay in police intervention and the possibility of caste-based discrimination as the victim belonged to the Scheduled Cast community.
The DGP assured the delegation that the investigation would be conducted under the supervision of a superior even as the family continued to seek justice for their daughter.
