Hindustan Times ·
Five students suspended over alleged misconduct with girls at LU event
According to the order issued by LU chief proctor Prof Rakesh Dwivedi, the students have been suspended with immediate effect pending further inquiry. Their room allotments, if any, were cancelled, they were deprived of student-related privileges and barred from entering both university campuses.
The University of Lucknow (LU) suspended five students on Wednesday over alleged misconduct with minor girls and others during an event on the campus. The action followed an interim report of the university’s Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), which found their “conduct unbecoming of students”, officials said.
The suspended students are Divyansh Awasthi, Anurag Kumar Yadav, Nitin Pandey, Akhilesh Pratap Yadav and Sharad Mishra. The first four are BA NEP third-year students, while Mishra is pursuing a PhD in political science.
They have been directed to appear before the chief proctor and submit written explanations within three working days of receiving the order. Failure to do so, the order said, would be construed as an indication that they had no defence to offer, following which further disciplinary action would be initiated.
The action was taken in connection with an incident at the AP Sen Auditorium on September 9, based on recommendations in the ICC interim report dated September 15 (Tuesday).
Officials said the controversy erupted after a group of girls, including minor students, alleged that some student organisation leaders and their associates touched them inappropriately, recorded videos and verbally threatened them with death when they objected during the ‘Yuva Sansad’ event.
The girls later met LU registrar Bhavana Mishra, who directed them to approach ICC member Anchal Srivastava. The girls said they recorded their statements before her.
Earlier on September 13, Hasanganj police had registered an FIR under sections 352 and 191(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) based on a written complaint by a girl student.
The FIR names one youth, whom the complainant allegedly identified as a student organisation leader, and four others accompanying him. According to the complaint, the group allegedly abused some girl students during the event and created an intimidating atmosphere.