Banaras Hindu University male student gang-raped. Awaits justice

At the time of filing this report, Animesh was sitting at the Lanka police station right outside the BHU campus, waiting for his second medical test after the incident. Doctors had confirmed rape in the first examination.

Satyendra Kumar Singh, the chief proctor of BHU, said: "We are aware of the incident. What can we do if the police is delaying the investigation?"

Asked why there has been no action against the accused, he explained: "The vice-chancellor is out on a visit. We will constitute an inquiry committee when he comes back. The action would be taken based on the findings of the committee."

The incident

According to reports, Animesh's sister-in-law was admitted to BHU's Sir Sunderlal Hospital some days ago. On 13 August, he went to the Microbiology Department of the hospital to get his sister-in-law's medical reports. However, laboratory attendant Deepak Kumar told him to come in the evening.

Animesh went to fetch the reports the same evening. However, he was stopped by a man named Dinesh, along with four accomplices, in front of the Institute of Medical Sciences.

The assailants purportedly rode a car with a departmental logo of the university.

Animesh was forcibly made to drink liquor and then raped by each of the attackers.

The accused kept moving the car in the campus all the while. Neither the patrolling vehicle of the proctorial board nor the security staff intercepted the vehicle. Animesh was thrown out of the car on the open ground of the agriculture department after some time.

Police apathy

Animesh reportedly dialled 100 soon after the incident, and registered a written complaint. Yet, it took four days for the police to register the case.

In the meantime, Animesh's mental condition deteriorated, as he was allegedly pressurised by the police and the BHU administration to hush up the matter.

The police called Animesh's relatives from Ballia to Varanasi on Sunday. His postmaster father is running from pillar to post to get justice for his son. He has so far found the support of only a handful of Animesh's friends.

"There is a constant pressure on Animesh to take back the case. The incident proves no student is safe in the BHU campus," allegeed BHU student leader Mrityunjaya.

Ball in vice-chancellor's court

The vice-chancellor, Dr Girish Chandra Tripathi, had recently passed an order to close down the cyber library during the night hours. He had argued that most students use the library during the night to watch pornography.

In an interview to Patrika, Tripathi had promised all possible steps to teach morality to students. All these claims seem to have fallen flat on their face in the wake of this crime.

There is an atmosphere of fear among the common students of BHU after the incident. It has become the talk of the town, even outside the campus.

Edited by Shreyas Sharma

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