Delhi University on Monday constituted a five-member committee to inquire into alleged harassment of Indraprastha College for Women students during a cultural festival last week. The committee will be headed by Prakash Singh, director of South Delhi Campus, and has been asked to submit its report within a week, a notification issued by Delhi University Registrar Vikas Gupta stated.

Students at Indraprastha College for Women alleged that some men scaled the walls of the college during a fest last week and “harassed several students”. “The Competent Authority has constituted the committee to inquire into the incident that happened on 29th March, 2023 in the Indraprastha College for Women, University of Delhi during the college cultural festival,” the registrar said. The committee was also asked to suggest measures to curb such incidents in future.

Members of the committee are Proctor Rajni Abbi, Dean of Students Welfare Pankaj Arora, Joint Proctor Geeta Sahare and Professor, Department of Hindi, Manju Mukul Kumble. “The Chairperson of the Committee is authorised to co-opt any additional member as and when needed,” the registrar said.

Earlier, the Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Monday said it has launched an inquiry into repeated incidents of inappropriate behaviour towards women during college festivals, days after Indraprastha College for Women students alleged sexual harassment during a fest. The women's panel has issued summonses to Delhi Police and Delhi University (DU) officials, asking them to appear before it on April 6. “This inquiry is on the overall issue so that strong systems are created to deter such incidents in the future. Earlier, the DCW had issued notices to Delhi Police and IP College to inquire into the specific case of harassment,” the commission said. Students at DU's Indraprastha College for Women alleged that some men scaled the walls of the college during a fest on March 28 and “harassed several students”.

Similar incidents have also been reported in some DU colleges in the past. In 2020, some people forced their way into Gargi College premises during a fest and molested the girl students, the DCW noted.

Again, in 2022, some male students forced their way into Miranda College and harassed the girl students. These incidents are happening repeatedly in DU colleges and raise serious concerns regarding the safety of girl students, especially during college fests, it said. Taking action in the matter, the DCW chief has issued summonses to the registrar of Delhi University and Joint Commissioner of Police, Special Police Unit for Women and Children (SPUWAC), seeking an action taken report in the matter, it added.

The DCW asked DU to provide inquiry reports on incidents that took place in Gargi College, Miranda House and Indraprastha College along with details of action taken by the university against college administrations for any security lapse.

Meanwhile,  a students' group on Monday claimed that around of its 15 activists were detained from outside the Indraprastha College for Women, where they had gathered to stage a protest against the alleged harassment of girl students during a fest last week. Delhi Police, however, has denied the charge.

Led by the All India Students' Association (AISA), the agitators had gathered to protest against the alleged incident and the administration's response to it.  Police personnel were deployed in large numbers while the gates of the college were barricaded.

“About 15 AISA activists have been detained from the college gate and are being taken to Burari police station,” the students' body's Delhi unit president Abhigyan alleged.  A senior police officer, however, denied the allegation.

“Around 10-15 protesters had gathered outside the college gate. They were removed peacefully,” he said. No one has been detained, the officer added.