IIT Ropar PhD Scholar Alleges Harassment And Assault; Institute Places Professor On Forced Leave For Two Months

Punjab: Serious allegations made by a PhD scholar at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar against a faculty member have led to an inquiry, police involvement, and widespread concern across academic circles.

The scholar, in a public statement shared on social media account X, has accused Dr Lakhan Bainsla (Assistant Professor, IIT Ropar) of repeated harassment, coercion, academic intimidation, and physical assault. She has alleged that the misconduct continued over a period of time and severely impacted her research work as well as her personal well-being.

Allegations made by the PhD scholar

In her detailed ordeal shared on social media, the scholar has alleged that Dr Lakhan Bainsla pressured her into personal interactions unrelated to academics and threatened her academic standing when she refused. She further claimed that she was denied normal academic support, including restricted access to the laboratory and delayed or ignored responses related to her research work.

She has also alleged that she was repeatedly pressured regarding research-related travel and was not allowed to undertake certain academic visits independently. According to her statement, she was told she could face consequences in her PhD programme if she did not comply with certain expectations.

The scholar further claimed that she was subjected to excessive phone calls and social media contact attempts, which she described as intrusive and distressing. She also raised concerns about surveillance in the laboratory space and alleged that cameras were installed and operated under the faculty member’s control.

She stated, "Dr Lakhan Bainsla from IIT Ropar has installed 2 cameras in his lab without taking any prior permissions from higher authorities To create some false proofs against me No other lab in IIT Ropar has any camera except his lab He deliberately installed cameras there And no one even questioned him about this Also, he was the only single person who was operating those two cameras Whenever he wanted to come into the lab he used to turn off the cameras most of the time But whenever he wanted to create some false proofs he kept them on And was operating them single-handedly".

She has additionally alleged that a physical assault took place following a disagreement over a research-related travel request. She stated, "Just because I was not entertaining and not saying yes to all the needs of Dr. Lakhan Bainsla from IIT Ropar, he had anger and malice against me. He channelled all the rage on me by punching my eye and beating me. He wanted to go to Japan with me by masking that trip with research work. I clearly said no to him for going with him anywhere. No action has been taken against him so far by IIT Ropar. He had wrong intentions against me for a long time And he was threatening me that if I didn't do anything with him, he would throw me out of my PhD. I was pressurized."

The scholar stated that she and her family approached both IIT Ropar authorities and the police after the incident, though she expressed concerns about delays in action and procedural challenges.

The scholar added that repeated ICC meetings have caused financial strain on her family, who spent around ₹20,000 on travel, and described significant emotional distress affecting her father’s health and leading to her uncle’s hospitalization. She also claimed her own health is deteriorating due to stress and criticized the handling of confidentiality and the pace of the investigation.

She added that, "Even after knowing that...what I am going through and my eye conditions are deteriorating What if I loose my any of the family member due to this trauma? Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar. For u it must me just failure of IIT system But for us...a middle class family from village…it’s way more, Shame on IIT Ropar, seriously".

IIT Ropar’s official statement

In its official response, IIT Ropar said it is fully aware of the complaint filed by the PhD scholar against Assistant Professor Dr. Lakhan Bainsla and is treating the matter with utmost seriousness.

According to the institute notice, the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) initiated proceedings within 24 hours of receiving the complaint. It also stated that immediate interim relief was provided to ensure the scholar's safety and continued academic progress.

IIT Ropar also stated that Dr. Lakhan Bainsla has been placed on forced leave for an initial period of two months, with immediate effect, and has been barred from academic duties and campus access except for emergency needs. The institute added that the matter has been referred to local police authorities and that it is fully cooperating with the investigation.

Necessary Arrangements Have Been Made

To ensure continuity of the scholar’s academic work, IIT Ropar has reportedly made interim changes in supervision. It said, “necessary arrangements have been made to ensure that the complainant can continue her academic work without any disruption, fear or pressure of any kind”.

As the investigation continues, IIT Ropar has reiterated that "the health, safety, and well-being of the complainant remain the Institute's priority, and all required support, including medical assistance and counselling, is being provided to her on campus."

Published on: Sunday, May 03, 2026, 05:33 PM IST