Strip-search allegation sparks outrage at IISER Pune

PUNE: Several students of Indian Institute of Science Education and Research, Pune, protested on Monday and Tuesday after multiple first-year examinees were allegedly "subject to non-consensual body contact, including frisking, pat-downs, and even a harrowing strip-search".

According to an email sent by the general secretary of the IISER Student Council, a first-year girl student was called out of examination hall on April 24, and was asked to remove her jacket. After observing alleged notes written on her hand, she was asked to go inside a room with no cameras and allegedly strip-searched by a female housekeeping staff.

Responding to the allegations, IISER Pune, in a written statement to TOI, said, "The IISER Pune administration is aware of the complaints by students about an incident of malpractice during recent end-sem examinations. A committee will investigate the incident fairly and follow all the existing protocols of investigation."

According to the council's letter, the housekeeping staff forced the girl student to disrobe despite clearly communicated non-consent and verbal protest. Students alleged that when the student had questioned the behavior, they were told that the actions were part of frisking guidelines provided by the dean of academics.

The letter also talks about a first-year male student, who was asked to remove jacket and patted down and another female student who was asked to lift her shirt and let go when nothing was found. It added that in a meeting held between students and the university officials, the latter denied "any disrobing took place and stated that the two rooms had been set up solely for frisking and patting down suspected students, for their own privacy and dignity".

The students are demanding the institute to remove the dean of academics and IC presiding officer and associate dean of academics with immediate effect, unconditional apology from the persons in charge, written assurance that the practice of strip-searches and any humiliating exercise will cease, constitution of an ad hoc investigation committee with equal student representation and appointment of faculty members by student vote and a written assurance that the housekeeping staff do not face any action or ill-treatment.