A female student at the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) was sexually assaulted late Wednesday night, leading students to stage a massive protest against the university’s lack of action in response to the incident.
The assault occurred hours after the students had conducted a night long massive protest, during which they demanded the reconstitution of the Sensitisation, Prevention, and Redressal of Sexual Harassment (SPARSH) Committee at the University.
The female student had participated in the protest alongside approximately 300 other students, which ended on Wednesday evening, and the attack occurred as a result of this protest, EFLU students said to Maktoob.
The female student was ambushed and sexually assaulted by two individuals who have not yet been identified.
Following the student protest, the police took a statement from the woman at the Bharosa counseling center and filed cases accordingly.
The Osmania University police have stated that a case has been filed for sexual assault, and an investigation is underway to identify the accused.
In her statement to the police, the student said that at around 10 p.m., she was ambushed by two men wearing hoodies who accused her of leading the protest. They subsequently attempted to sexually assault her, and when she resisted their advances, they physically attacked her.
The location of the assault lacked proper lighting and had no CCTV surveillance, as said by a student actively involved in the protests to Maktoob.
The student alleged that despite informing the management about the sexual assault incident around midnight, no immediate action was taken.
The student further said that the female student was found unconscious by two students, who then transported her to a medical facility located within the campus for treatment.
The student alleged that the staff at the medical facility asked her to “keep the matter to herself,” while the management attempted to downplay the issue and refused to take action.
The students who started the protest at approximately 5 a.m. on Wednesday within the campus have been calling for the resignation of Vice-Chancellor E. Suresh Kumar and Proctor T. Samson. Over 200 students have joined the protest.
The students’ demands include the resignation of the VC and the entire Proctoral Board, as well as holding the head of security guards accountable for the security lapse.
The students are also demanding an apology from the Registrar for repeatedly inquiring about the woman’s name in public, as well as an apology from the warden and healthcare staff on campus for shaming her.
EFLU students in Hyderabad protest all night demanding a sexual harassment committee
About 300 students of the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) in Hyderabad have staged an all-night protest at the main gate since October 16, demanding the reformation of EFLU’s sexual harassment committee.
The protest was instigated following a series of meetings conducted by the EFLU Student’s Collective and its Coordination Committee, concerning SPARSH, which stands for Sensitisation, Prevention, and Redressal of Sexual Harassment Committee at EFLU.
The students’ demands include the immediate reconstitution of the SPARSH Committee, the essential inclusion of three democratically elected student representatives in SPARSH, holding elections for SPARSH without delay, ideally alongside or before the Student Union Elections, and the addition of an LGBTQ+ student representative to SPARSH.
The Collective is composed of students from various political groups such as the Fraternity Movement, the Students Federation of India (SFI), the Muslims Students Federation (MSF) -and the Democratic Students Association (DSA) as well as students who are not affiliated with any political organizations.
Students claim that since June, SPARSH has been non-functional, with each professor disclaiming responsibility for it. SPARSH was established under an EFLU ordinance and is aligned with the Protection of Women from Sexual Harassment Act of 2013.
The protest also stemmed from the administration’s lack of response to two petitions submitted by the Student’s Collective, which demanded the holding of both Student Union elections and SPARSH elections.
