In a shocking incident in Pune, a man at Savitribai Phule Pune University (SPPU) masturbated while staring at girls on the university premises.
When the girls went to raise a complaint, they reportedly received no response from the vice chancellor and registrar, who were reluctant to register the complaint and took no action. In solidarity with the victims, 30 to 40 university students have organized a sit-in protest.
Protesters have demanded a transparent investigation and a safer campus environment, expressing frustration over the administration's delayed response.
The police complaint in the matter has not been registered yet.
Statement by students
Meanwhile, the protesting students have issued a statement to the media and said, "On 25/03/2025 (Tuesday), at around 9:00 pm, an unfortunate and shocking incident took place where three students from the Department of Sociology, Ambedkar Bhavan, Savitribai Phule Pune University, were sexually harassed on the university campus premises."
"The incident was immediately reported to the on-duty security personnel, but their negligence, lack of cooperation, and victim-blaming led to the perpetrator escaping from the scene. The victims later reached out to the head of the Department of Sociology, who didn't have a supportive approach either. On Wednesday, the students from the Department of Sociology insisted on meeting the Vice Chancellor and Registrar, whose insensitivity towards the situation left the victims traumatized. On Thursday, the students from the Department of Sociology, along with students from other departments of Ambedkar Bhavan, held a sit-in protest demanding justice for the victims," the statement added.
The students have made the following main demands:
Immediate identification of the culprit and taking the correct and strict legal action against him.
Immediate identification of the negligent guards on duty who were approached, with strict action against them.
The university should take full responsibility and legal cognizance of the mishap on university grounds.
A written apology letter from the Vice Chancellor for his insensitive approach.
A quick response team and a quick dial number to address such issues in the future.
