Mumbai: After a South Bombay college principal filed an assault complaint against a staff member of the college, The Free Press Journal visited the said college to understand the impact of the situation on the students and classes. However, there was no disruption in its daily functioning. The students were unaware of the matter, and the professors had no idea as well.
"No faculty was present at the meeting when this incident happened; we are unaware of it. The college is functioning as usual; no changes as such have been requested by the principal due to this matter," said a professor of the college who preferred to remain anonymous.
"This is the first time I have heard about this incident; it hasn't been officially addressed at the college yet," said a second-year mass media student at the college.
Despite this incident, the college had their exams ongoing, and most of the professors were occupied with supervision and paper correction on campus. The police were deployed at the college, but that was for the upcoming elections in the state. They were functioning as well. The college gates were open to students seeking admission, and a dedicated person was also in place to address their needs. The environment on the college campus was calm, and the college continued to function as usual.
The complaint regarding the alleged assault was filed at the Gamdevi Police Station. The incident took place on April 19, 2024, during a meeting on the 2nd floor of the College Office in Girgaon Chowpatty.
According to the FIR copy accessed by the Free Press Journal, during the meeting, the victim was seated beside the accused. The principal called the college registrar to come and collect a document and get it photocopied. The accused allegedly held the victim's left hand tightly and did not let her go out. When she asked him to let go of her hand, the accused allegedly gave her a hard blow.
"After the incident, I was mentally shocked. After I finished my daily work and college meeting, I mentioned the incident to my husband," the principal claimed in the FIR.
The Free Press Journal reached out to the principal for confirmation, but she refused to comment.
A senior inspector from the Gamdevi police station told the FPJ, "A notice has been sent to the accused. However, he is currently not in the city; we are investigating this case."
