‘Beaten, Sexually Assaulted’: Allahabad University Students Staging Protest, Demanding Removal of Authorities

Lucknow: A confrontation between faculties and students that had taken a violent turn at the Allahabad University last year continues to rage in the campus this year as well. The protest against alleged assault of a student by Hostel Assistant Superintendent Dr Atul Narayan Singh in presence of university’s Chief Proctor Rakesh Singh refuses to die down.

The protesting students are demanding resignation of the chief proctor. 

Assistant Superintendent of the Sir Sunderlal Hostel, Atul Singh, has been removed from the post by the authorities.

The confrontation began when Abhishek Gupta, a resident of the varsity’s SSL Hostel, alleged that he was beaten and sexually harassed inside the proctor’s office, where he was called by the authorities for questioning.

He said that the chief proctor and in charge of the university’s police outpost were present when he underwent the ordeal

‘No Action Despite Evidence’

Speaking to The Mooknayak, Abhishek Gupta, the complainant, said, “Each student of the hostel was asked to submit Rs 500 in the name of hostel maintenance, but no receipt of the same was provided to us. When I asked for the receipt, I was told that it would be sent to my room.” 

On January 11, he said, the students learnt that the fund collected from them was spent on a feat for police staff and the proctorial board. 

“When I objected to it, Dr Atul told me that I would not die if I don’t get the food,” he alleged, saying that he along with others lodged a complaint with regard to the same with the vice chancellor. We were assured that action would be taken, but it turned out to be merely a lip service,” he alleged.

On January 29, he said, he was called to the proctor room and was beaten and abused. He claimed to have enough evidence in support of his allegation. 

“When students took to X (formerly Twitter), raising the issue, the vice chancellor once again assured to institute an inquiry into the incident. But no committee has been formed so far,” he said. 

After a purported video, showing Gupta being assaulted went viral on social media, enraged students staged a dharna against the university administration in the campus.

As a result, varsity officials were forced to take action against the hostel superintendent, who was removed.

‘Action Just an Eyewash’

Dissatisfied with the action and calling it an “eyewash”, the protesting students are demanding his removal as a faculty. They are also demanding that the chief proctor, whom they accuse of being complicit in the incident, be also acted upon.

“The action taken against Dr Singh is an eyewash. He has been only divested of his additional charge of hostel superintendent. We are demanding his removal from the university. We are also seeking stern action against the chief proctor,” another agitating student, Manish Kumar, told The Mooknayak.

It is to be noted that Chief Proctor Rakesh Singh was in news last year as well when he was caught on camera, hitting a Dalit student with a stick. 

The victim, Vivek Kumar, had said that when he went to him to raise the issue of the suspension of some students, he was beaten up brutally. 

“Rakesh Singh has always been against SC/ST/OBC students,” alleged Vivek, demanding his arrest and termination.

No action was taken against Singh even then, and the police allegedly refused to register a first information report (FIR) based on Vivek’s complaint — which, he claimed, was backed by video evidence.

The impunity Singh enjoys, said the protesting students, can be gauged by the fact that he came to the protest site and used foul language against the agitators.

“We have evidence, showing him hurling abuses and casteist slurs at us,” a protesting student claimed.

The Bar Association of the High Court, according to Ajay Yadav Samrat of the Samajwadi Chatra Sabha, has also extended support to the protest.

University officials could be reached for comments.

Also Read-