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Bilaspur govt engineering college principal arrested for sexually harassing student
Incident took place on March 19, 2024, when student, who was unwell, was taken to hospital by principal Himanshu Monga. While there, he touched her inappropriately. Students accompanying her recorded the incident on phone and the video was shared on social media on Thursday.
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Himanshu Monga, the director-cum-principal of Government Hydro Engineering College, Bandla, Bilaspur, was arrested following a sexual harassment complaint filed by a student, police said on Friday.
The student lodged a police complaint about the incident that occurred in March last year after a video related to it was shared widely on social media on Thursday.
Based on the student’s statement, a case was registered under Section 354A of the Indian Penal Code at the Sadar police station.
Students held a sit-in protest at the college gate on Thursday evening and raised slogans against Monga.
The principal was arrested at 11.20pm on Thursday.
Police said the incident took place on March 19, 2024, when the student, who was reportedly unwell, was taken to the hospital by the principal for medical treatment. While there, the principal allegedly touched her inappropriately. Other women students accompanying her recorded the incident on phone and the video was shared on social media on Thursday.
Bilaspur superintendent of police Sandeep Dhawal said, “We have arrested the principal and are investigating the matter. We are also checking if there are any other similar complaints against him.”
Himachal technical education minister Rajesh Dharmani said he came to know about the “deeply unfortunate” incident on Thursday after it surfaced on social media. “I immediately contacted the secretary and the director of the technical education department. They told me that a committee had been formed and an inquiry had been initiated following a formal complaint from the student.”
“I have instructed that the inquiry report be submitted within two days. Strict action will follow based on its findings. We maintain a zero-tolerance policy towards such misconduct, and appropriate action will be taken accordingly,” the minister told the media.
Given the seriousness of the matter, a district-level investigation committee was formed, which submitted its report to the technical education department.
Vibha Sharma, the chairperson of the probe panel, said, “The committee prepared a report after recording the statements of all the parties, which has been submitted to the department concerned.”
The director of the technical education department, Akshay Sood, said, “Action will be taken on the basis of the report.”
Meanwhile, a complaint lodged by a former student of Sundernagar Engineering College on the e-Samadhan portal in April against Monga is being widely shared on social media.
The complainant alleged when she was studying in the college, Monga, who was posted there as a senior faculty at that time, behaved “inappropriately” with girl students.
