Students from Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) have once again raised concerns over their safety inside the campus after a man was allegedly caught masturbating while staring at some women students earlier this week.
The SSPU students also claimed that their concerns were not taken seriously when they approached authorities, a charge denied by the university, which said it had taken steps to address the issue.
Meanwhile, the police said they detained the suspect early Friday. Further details are awaited.
Responding to allegations that the students were not taken seriously when they complained, and action was taken only after they staged a protest, Gosavi told The Indian Express, “We work in the background. We don’t need to showcase it unless and until we figure out what has happened. You have to understand the person was not from the university, and we are a public place. It is a police matter. Now the person has been identified so it is better to close the issue. The safety of students is very important to us, especially girl students.”
According to students, the alleged incident occurred on Tuesday at around 9 pm when three women were harassed by the man. They said a man approached the women students, and stared at them in a manner that made them feel uncomfortable. After a while, the man allegedly undressed and started masturbating in front of them.
When the women protested and called out his behaviour, he attempted to deny it aggressively. One of the students sought help from security guards, who, they said, failed to arrive on time. The students then approached the head of their department and later Suresh Gosavi, Vice-Chancellor (VC), but they alleged that their concerns were ignored.
On Thursday, the students gathered outside Ambedkar Bhavan to protest, demanding five key actions, including immediate identification and legal action against the perpetrator, strict action against negligent security personnel, accountability from university authorities, and the establishment of a quick-response team and emergency helpline for student safety.
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The SPPU administration has promised to fulfil four of these demands within three days.
However, the students claimed Suresh Gosavi was insensitive towards their complaints. “The university only filed an FIR three days after the incident under pressure from the protestors. If the university continues to blame the victims instead of ensuring justice, we will escalate our protest not just against the VC but against all university authorities,” warned Akshay Kamble, Secretary, National Students’ Union of India (NSUI).
Jyoti Bhakare, Registrar, SSPU, defended the university’s response, but students criticised the administration’s casual approach.
In a written statement uploaded on its website, the university said it has taken quick and decisive steps to redress the security concerns. “Action is being initiated against the employees who failed to adhere to their duty,” the statement said.
(Divyaja Kalyankar is an intern with The Indian Express.)