Dharamshala Dalit college student death: Parents seek justice as UGC order fact-finding probe
Narrating the events to ANI, the victim’s father, Vikram Kumar, said, “My daughter is no more. I need justice. The accused girls and the professor should be punished. What happened to my child should not happen to anyone else.” Ritu, the victim’s mother, said, “I don’t want any innocent person to be caught. I want a thorough investigation; we have all the medical reports. I want justice for my daughter.”
Vikram Kumar told the police that his daughter was attacked and intimidated by three fellow schoolgirls on September 18, 2025. He also accused a college professor of inappropriate behavior with his daughter. According to the complaint, these events traumatized the student and left him in deep fear, leading to depression and serious health problems. Despite treatment in multiple hospitals, his condition deteriorated and he died during treatment at a hospital in Ludhiana on 26 December 2025.
The father said that the family could not immediately contact the police due to the shock of their daughter’s illness and death. However, a complaint regarding ragging and harassment had been registered through the Prime Minister’s helpline on December 20. Both parents stated that their daughter’s suffering should not go unpunished and called for strict action to be taken against those responsible.
Following the incident, the University Grants Commission took a serious look at the tragic death at Government Degree College, Dharamshala. The UGC decided to constitute a fact-finding committee and assured that those found guilty would not be spared. He stated that strict measures would follow and reiterated that student safety is paramount.
The police have since registered an FIR against three female students and a professor under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) and the Himachal Pradesh Educational Institution Rags Act (2009).
Meanwhile, CPI(M) met the Director General of Police in Shimla and submitted a memorandum demanding a fair and impartial investigation by a senior police officer. The party expressed its condolences to the family and expressed concern over the alleged delay in police action and the possibility of caste-based discrimination due to the victim belonging to the Scheduled Players community.
The DGP assured the bench that the investigation will be conducted under high-level supervision as the family continues to seek justice for their daughter.
