A probe team of Muzaffarpur Institute of Technology (MIT) has recommended “drastic actions”, including expulsion of six students allegedly involved in outraging the modesty of girls on August 8.
Principal Kumar Surendra had constituted a four-member probe team, led by Nirmal Kumar and three others, R.P. Kumari, Sanjay Choudhary and P.C. Gupta. The team found that such an incident had indeed occurred on August 8.
“It has been happening for a long time but the girls dared to challenge the boys for the first time by lodging an FIR and also sending a petition to the district magistrate, senior superintendent of police and the principal of MIT to check eve-teasing,” said Nirmal Kumar.
Kumar, a senior teacher with the MIT, added that the probe team has examined the matter and found that the girls’ complaint of boys molesting them on August 8 to be true.
The team submitted its report to the principal on Monday afternoon and pleaded strong action, including expulsion of the boys whose names figure in the FIR. “The dignity of the institute has gone down in the recent past because of misconduct and criminal behaviour of students,” the report stated.
However, a large number of boys of MIT in the wake of the report submission, gathered outside the institution and created ruckus outside the principal’s office.
The students gheraoed the principal and Nirmal Kumar and demanded clemency. The MIT, which opened after a week’s break, had witnessed turmoil on August 9 (Friday) when girl students alleged that they were being subjected to harassment on the institute’s campus for the past year. The tormentors, including youths from the boys’ hostels on the campus and outside, pass lewd comments at them, the girls complained.
Following threat perception and a sense of insecurity among the girls, the district police have deployed heavy reinforcement and women cops to instil confidence. Men and women in uniform are keeping round-the-clock vigil on the campus and on the boys. Teaching activities remain largely affected. Neither the girls nor the boys are attending classes. The girls are apprehending fear of further torment in the hands of the boys after the FIR was lodged against six students.
Senior superintendent of police, Muzaffarpur, Saurav Kumar told The Telegraph that the erring students would not be spared. “Police investigations have begun and the wings of the unruly MIT students would be clipped. The Barhampura police have identified students posing law and order problems and also those who are indulging in eve-teasing. Names of such hooligans would be incorporated in the gunda register, especially created at the Barhampura police station to rein in on the unruly boys of MIT,” he said.
HARD LESSONS
August 8: One student molested on MIT campus
August 9: Girl students sit on dharna to register protest against eve-teasers Girls submit petitions to DM, SSP and principal
August 10: Police visit MIT campus. Six students named in the FIR
August 12: A probe team constituted by MIT submits report, suggesting expulsion of the six students
