Himachal govt. starts probe into college student’s death
SOCIAL – EDUCATION
4 JANUARY 2026
- The Himachal Pradesh government suspended Ashok Kumar, assistant professor of geography, of a government college in Dharamshala following charges of sexual harassment linked to a 19-year-old Dalit student’s death in December 2025.
- The police registered cases against the professor and three girl students of Government College, Dharamshala on allegations of ragging, and voluntarily causing hurt to the victim.
- The State government has formed a four-member committee, led by Additional Director of Higher Education Harish Kumar, for fact-finding and conducting a preliminary inquiry into the death.
- The inquiry will examine all aspects regarding the incident, including alleged sexual harassment by the professor and caste-based abuse, according to Director of Education Amarjeet Sharma’s order.
- The victim died at a hospital in Punjab’s Ludhiana on December 26, 2025.
- Her father alleged that on September 18, 2025, she was beaten up and intimidated by three students, and that Ashok Kumar, the professor, engaged in obscene acts with her.
