International student sexually harassed by delivery agent at SPPU campus; accused arrested

PUNE: An international student was allegedly sexually harassed in the girls' hostel on the Savitribai Phule Pune University campus on Friday night by a delivery agent. He was arrested on Saturday.

Students complained that this is the second such incident within a month's time at the same hostel, which has no permanent security guards or CCTV camera.

The victim said, "The delivery agent came up to the third floor. He was standing outside my room and started misbehaving. I got scared and called out my fellow hostel mates and he ran. I called him mobile again and when he came outside the hostel, we took a video of him and caught him. Along with a security guard, we took him to the Chatushrungi police station but police refused to take complaint. We had to call up our embassy."

Senior police inspector Uttam Bhajnawaledenied the allegations and said the CCTV camera footage inside the police station can be checked. "We had to let him go as there was no complaint initially. An FIR was filed later based on the girl's complaint under BNS section 296 (obscene act). The accused, who is around 25 years old, has been arrested."

Another student said that a few weeks ago, she too had been harassed by a delivery agent right outside the hostel. "We do not have an official rector nor do we know whom to complain to. Officials always try to suppress such things," said the student.

During the senate meeting on Saturday, members questioned the lack of security provided and the way the Office for International Affairs (formerly International Centre) officials handled the matter.

Krishna Bhandalkar, a senate member, said, "Why was there no security provided to the hostel? Why is the POSH committee contact number or the security helpline number not publicised or pasted at the entrance of all hostels?"

Vijay Khare, director of Office for International Affairs, said, "Since our international student hostel was full, we made another building a temporary hostel."

Vice-chancellor Suresh Gosavi constituted a committee to fix responsibility for the lapses, and as immediate measure, has promised round-the-clock female security staff, a CCTV camera and a grill gate for the hostel. "If they feel unsafe, we will shift them to a different hostel," added Gosavi.

(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)