An intern at IIT Madras was allegedly sexually harassed by a food court staff member on campus. Taking serious note, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has taken suo motu cognisance of the reported assault case.
A 22-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly sexually harassing an intern at IIT Madras, according to police reports on Saturday.
The suspect, who was employed at a food court on the campus, reportedly harassed a 20-year-old intern on the night of June 25.
In response, the National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson, Vijaya Rahatkar, has taken suo motu cognizance of the incident and has urged the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police to conduct a thorough and timely investigation under the relevant provisions of BNS, 2023.
The Commission stated in a post on the social media platform X on Saturday,
“NCW has also directed the authorities to ensure the victim receives immediate medical and psychological support,”
The incident took place around 7:30 PM while the intern was walking alone on campus. According to the Kotturpuram police, the man approached her with a stick and pulled her hair. The intern promptly raised an alarm, prompting campus security to rush to her aid.
The police later identified the suspect as Roshan Kumar, originally from Maharashtra, who was working at the food court in IIT Madras. He was arrested and remanded on June 26, and further investigations are ongoing.
In a statement regarding the incident, IIT Madras said,
“An unfortunate incident took place at the IIT Madras campus on June 25, when a contractual employee of a vendor operating on the campus ‘misbehaved’ with a woman student, visiting from another institute. The girl raised an alarm, and the culprit was held by the institute security and handed over to the local police. IIT (M) has a zero tolerance policy towards sexual harassment and we are committed to provide a safe and secure campus to all.”
The statement emphasized the need for a fair and timely investigation, along with providing psychological support to the victim.
“Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar has written to the DGP, Tamil Nadu, calling for a fair and time-bound investigation under relevant provisions of BNS, 2023. NCW has also directed the authorities to ensure.”
The All India Students’ Federation has organized a protest at 11 AM on Saturday, advocating for women’s safety on campus. Officials reported that on the night of June 26, around 9:20 PM, the accused allegedly used a stick and pulled the woman’s hair, according to the complainant.
The individual works at the Isthara food court on campus. Following the complaint and evidence gathered, officials confirmed the arrest of the accused, and further investigation is ongoing.