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Teen told to 'bathe, change clothes' after alleged sex assault on Delhi college campus
According to the FIR, the university staff allegedly dismissed her account, and even advised her to “take bath and change clothes.”
An 18-year-old student of South Asian University (SAU) in south Delhi has accused hostel officials of apathy and obstruction after she was allegedly gangraped by four unidentified men inside the campus on Sunday evening.
According to the FIR, instead of providing immediate support or alerting authorities, the university staff allegedly dismissed her account, discouraged her from contacting her family, and even advised her to “take bath and change clothes.”
The woman, a first-year BTech student, was allegedly sexually assaulted by four men near the university’s convocation centre on Sunday night after a series of threatening emails and obscene messages coerced her into leaving her hostel. A case of gang rape has been registered and teams have been formed to identify the suspects, Delhi Police said.
However, what has added to the outrage are the allegations about the university administration’s response after the assault.
According to the survivor’s FIR, when she approached the hostel in-charge following the incident, a doctor present emphasised the seriousness of the situation. But the official allegedly “did not take (her) seriously” and instead levelled unrelated allegations against female students.
The survivor, in her FIR, stated that officials advised her to bathe and change clothes instead of calling the police or seeking medical attention immediately.
She further alleged that they physically prevented her from video calling her mother to show her injuries. “I wanted to video call my mother and show her the bruises but the hostel-in-charge and a guard were covering me,” the FIR quotes her as saying.
Her friends reportedly insisted that the matter be taken to the police and medical authorities. A PCR call was eventually made on Monday afternoon by one of her friends. A police team reached the campus and found the victim in a distressed state. Her statement was recorded after counselling and a medical examination at Madan Mohan Malviya Hospital.
Deputy commissioner of police (south) Ankit Chauhan confirmed that a case has been registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including gang rape, kidnapping, wrongful restraint, and administering poison. “Probe is underway and teams are working to identify the suspects,” he said. The woman’s statement before a magistrate was recorded on Tuesday.
