More cases of sexual harassment emerge at Dehradun institute

Source: newindianexpress.com

DEHRADUN: After a case of sexual harassment of a Class 5 student surfaced at the National Institute for Empowerment of Persons with Visual Disabilities here last week, it has emerged that four more students were sexually harassed by the accused earlier. The accused is a student of Class 11 in the same institution. Questions are being raised as to how such incidents could happen despite teachers and staff keeping an eye on the students.

Nachiketa Raut, director of the institute, said, “We never tolerate misconduct of such magnitude. We have submitted a police complaint and the matter is being investigated. Strict action will be taken at the administrative level once the charges are proved.”

The police are investigating the matter to find out if any of the staff or teachers knew about it and chose to stay silent. 

The said incident occurred on the night of September 2, 2019. The complaint by the victim stated that the accused came and got into his bed and touched his private parts.  A case regarding the alleged sexual exploitation of students by teacher at the institution is already in the Uttarakhand High Court. 

Earlier, on August 29, 2018, the court, taking cognisance of a matter related to sexual harassment of students in the institute, had directed the state government to suspend the music teacher involved in harassment immediately and register a case against him. Earlier that month, students at the institution had started protesting against the music teacher, alleging harassment of female students by him.