The University Grant Commission (UGC) has decided to form a fact-finding committee to investigate the tragic death of a 19-year-old student of a government college in Himachal Pradesh's Dharmshala after alleged assault, ragging by three students and sexual harassment by a professor.
In a statement, UGC said, "The University Grants Commission has taken serious cognisance of the tragic suicide at the Government. Degree College, Dharamsala. It has been decided to constitute a Fact-Finding Committee."
Assuring action, the educational institution regulator said, "UGC assures that culprits will not be spared, and stringent action will follow. Student safety is paramount."
The police have booked the students and a professor, Ashok Kumar, after a video of the victim on her deathbed surfaced. In her video, the girl made chilling revelations.
What did the victim say in last video?
She could be heard saying, "Ashok sir", when a woman asks the name of the professor.
When asked about what the professor does to her, she responds, "Peeche padh jaate the. Ajeeb harkatein karte the." When she seemed hesitant, the woman promptly asked if she wanted her father to leave, to which she answers negative.
She then said, "Touch wagerah karte the. Bahut kuch bolte the." (He would touch me, say a lot of things.)
What did her parents say?
The father of the victim, who has lodged a complaint in the case, raised question on the college administration and asked about what would happen to other students. While talking to news agency ANI, he said, "This is a very tough time for us as my daughter has died. The professor of the college harassed her. You would have seen the video as well, in which she explains everything regarding the incident. The college administration should feel ashamed. We send our children to college to study. What will happen to the other students of the college? My daughter called me and told me that other students had beaten her. When we brought her home, she was in a state of panic. She was beaten very badly and harassed to such an extent that she went into depression. She died in Ludhiana while receiving treatment. I want justice."
The victim's mother said, "I don't want to say much, just that all the accused should be arrested. I want justice...May this never happen to anyone’s child..."
What's the Dharamshala student ragging death case?
According to a preliminary investigation by the police, the victim was enrolled in the Dharamshala government college in 2024. She faced ragging by some students and had failed her BA first-year exam, news agency PTI reported.
After the results were declared in July 2025, she stopped going to college. On August 21, her name was dropped from the college rolls.
To get admission, she likely visited the college in September and was asked to clear the re-evaluation to get enrolled in the second year.
She was then assaulted by three seniors on September 18. The professor indulged in obscene acts with her.
Due to the beating and harassment, the student was hospitalised in Ludhiana and she died during treatment on December 26, the complaint said. The father of the deceased woman alleged that following these incidents, his daughter went into severe mental stress and fear, leading to a rapid deterioration in her health.
Case registered only after her video went viral
As she was not in a position to give a statement, a police complaint could not be lodged earlier.
The case gained momentum after the aforementioned video went viral on social media. A case under sections 75 (sexual harassment), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 3 of the Himachal Pradesh Educational Institution (Prohibition of) Ragging Act 2009 has been registered and investigations are underway, the police said.