The university also claimed that the survivor of the sexual assault incident could not provide any clue to its Internal Complaints Committee to identify the culprits.
Published Nov 06, 2023 | 10:58 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 07, 2023 | 4:23 PM
Amidst the rising protest, the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) on Monday, 6 November, refuted multiple allegations of the students while saying their demand for the Proctorial Board’s resignation was “untenable.”
In a statement, the varsity noted that the demands of students regarding the arrest of culprits in the alleged sexual assault incident were “not in the hands of the university”.
The university also claimed that the survivor of the sexual assault incident, a postgraduate student, “could not provide any clue to identify the culprits” to its Internal Complaints Committee (ICC).
Meanwhile, around 100 students are still protesting at Gate No 2 of the EFLU campus, terming it an “indefinite protest and hunger strike”, with several cops deployed outside.
While appealing to the students to maintain restraint till the police complete their investigation, the university refuted the allegations of students that ICC Chairperson Anjali V Bagde also holds the post of dean.
“She did not hold the post of the dean or head at the time of her appointment as the presiding officer of the ICC,” said the EFLU officials.
EFLU students protesting on Monday, 6 November. (Supplied)
It added that the ICC was constituted entirely as per the UGC regulations, except for the three student representatives.
However, the students earlier alleged that EFLU Ordinance 66 only allows for two student representatives, who were also chosen by the administration instead of them.
About the Student Body elections, which were scheduled for this month, the varsity said it had already issued a circular that the polling would be held after the completion of the Telangana Assembly elections on 30 November.
Responding to the allegation of the CCTVs inside the campus only working for the surveilling of students and not for their security, the varsity said students were on one hand claiming that there was no CCTV camera covering the alleged sexual assault incident spot, while on the other hand some of the them were saying that surveillance had increased on the campus.
It added that none of the students had ever been restricted from accessing any space on campus, and most of them moved around until late at night.
Reacting to the statement, a student told South First on the condition of anonymity (over fear of punishment by the EFLU administration): “It is not the victim’s duty to identify the perpetrators.”
The individual added: “The fact that a student was assaulted on such a small campus with over 100 security guards and 300 cameras (in the places frequented by students and not in potentially dangerous places like the one where the assault happened) shows how the administration’s focus is on surveillance, and not the safety of the students.”
Meanwhile, at least seven EFLU students and several others from the University of Hyderabad (UOH) and other organisations were released by the police after over seven hours of police detention.
The students were picked up by the police around 1 pm as they planned to go ahead with the indefinite protest and indefinite hunger strike” on Monday, 6 November.
Several others from UOH, EFLU alumni, Disha, and other organisations were also detained before the cops allowed them to leave between 7.30 and 8 pm.
As per sources, they were taken to Osmania University, Amberpet and Nallakunta police station. The police said the reason for their detention was that the Model Code of Conduct — for the Telangana Assembly elections — was in place.
The students raised slogans such as “we want justice”, “we want answers”, and “EFLU admin answer us” while denouncing the administration.
“In Nallakunta, students were being threatened by the police. The cops were saying if we want to spread this (the protest) if we wanted to escalate this, they also knew ways of escalating their response,” a PhD student told South First.
The student added, “Among the detained students, whoever was on hunger strike continued it in the police station and is still on strike.”
Meanwhile, visually impaired Assistant Professor Dr Y Suresh Babu of the Department of English Literature complained to the police around a week ago that students prevented him from leaving the university’s Administrative Block after work on 31 October.
Babu said the students prevented him from leaving the block through any of the three gates, and that they showed no consideration to his handicap. Ignoring his requests, the students threatened him and shouted slogans, he said.
He also said that the students’ actions amounted to a violation of human rights and the rights of persons with disabilities.
Based on his complaint, the police on 1 November registered a case under Sections 342 (wrongful confinement), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC and Section 92(a) (atrocities against persons with disability) of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act.
Even though the FIR was registered against several students, it specifically mentioned four names.
Several students were allegedly detained by @hydcitypolice outside @EFLU_OFFICIAL ahead of their scheduled hunger strike.
They demanded justice for sexual assault survivors, VC's resignation and withdrawal of FIR against students.@TheSouthfirst #Hyderabad #Telangana pic.twitter.com/yTxy6t1anf
— Ajay Tomar (@ajaytomarasks) November 6, 2023
Incidentally, the students resumed their protest against the sexual assault incident when the university reopened after Dasara on 31 October. They also demanded the setting of the Sensitisation, Prevention, and Redressal of Sexual Harassment (SPARSH) Committee.
A student named in the FIR earlier told South First that he was shocked to learn of the case.
“Upon witnessing the professor’s attempt to leave the building, a BA student alerted one of our friends who was protesting at another gate regarding that. Subsequently, the students jointly resolved not to obstruct the professor and the BA student conveyed this message to the security personnel,” the student said.
“Unfortunately, by the time the professor returned to the administrative building, it remains unclear whether the security guards communicated our decision to the professor. Later, on Friday, we discovered that our friend had been named in the FIR,” he said.
The student added that the deputy proctor and an administrative staff member were also allowed to leave.
Meanwhile, the police already had registered a case against 11 students — on 19 October — for allegedly promoting enmity and inciting violence.
That case was registered in connection with a students’ protest against the alleged sexual assault of a postgraduate woman student on the campus
