EFLU rape: cops scuttle protests

Hyderabad: The English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU) on Monday witnessed protests over alleged gang rape of a second year MA English student on the campus.

A group of students who wanted to take out a rally condemning the barbaric act was restricted by police personnel deployed in the campus.

Students were not allowed to agitate on the campus too. A student on condition of anonymity said that the police personnel literally threatened them. A large number of police personnel was seen guarding the university at all entry points of and inside as well.

Even the people who stay in the campus had to face problems due to high handedness of security guards at the university entrance gates, some students complained.

The student community in the university said they were outraged to know about the incident through media. They lambasted the university officials for lack of transparency in the university. The students said that situation on the campus had now reached a new height of hostility, after a series of incidents of sexual harassment had taken place.

They alleged that the administration had turned a blind eye to all previous incidents. While demanding fair investigation in the alleged rape case, the students also opposed restrictions being imposed on students with regard to movement within the premises of the university. Gender segregation on campus had to be stopped, said a PhD scholar. EFLU Teachers Association also condemned the incident and expressed solidarity with the victim. Meanwhile, several student organisations and women activists staged a dharna at the university. “I was invited to be a member of Sexual Harassment Committee by EFLU authorities in the university and I was part of many sexual harassment enquires. I do not know whether I am still member or not. Even after several requests, they did not allow us to meet neither the victim nor the VC. The accused should be punished at the earliest,” said V Sandhya, president, Progressive Organisation of Women.