MU forms panel to probe rape threat allegations
In a press statement issued by ABVP on Friday, the organisation claimed that no concrete action had been taken regarding the girls’ complaints despite the passage of seven days
Mumbai: University of Mumbai (MU) has constituted a committee to probe allegations of three female law students at its Thane sub-centre receiving rape threats and obscene letters in the last week of November. The committee was constituted after a delegation of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the Bhartiya Janata Party’s student wing, met the vice-chancellor (VC) earlier in the day.
“The VC appointed an inquiry committee to investigate the matter following the meeting with ABVP representatives. The probe has already started,” said an MU official.
Sankalp Phaldesai, ABVP’s state minister (unit chiefs are called ministers in ABVP’s organisational parlance), accused officials of the Thane sub-centre of refusing to accept a written complaint from the girls and pressuring them to resolve the matter informally.
“When parents of the students visited the sub-centre officer on December 5, they were directed to file a complaint with the local police. But neither the sub-center head nor any faculty member accompanied the students to the police station,” said Phaldesai, seeking action against the sub-centre head for his alleged negligence.
In a press statement issued by ABVP on Friday, the organisation claimed that no concrete action had been taken regarding the girls’ complaints despite the passage of seven days. “This inaction has led to concerns about student safety and the university’s commitment to student welfare. Some parents have reportedly withdrawn their children’s admission, fearing for their safety and academic future,” the statement noted.
ABVP’s Thane metropolitan minister Yogesh Damle emphasised the need for robust measures to prevent such incidents in future. “The administration must act decisively to restore student confidence and ensure their safety,” he said.
A senior officer from Kapurbawdi police station said they had received a written complaint from students and recorded their statements.
“A woman police officer has been assigned to investigate the matter. We will take necessary action after further inquiry,” he said.
(With inputs from Anamika Gharat)
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