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Arrest Following Student Complaints

In Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh, the director and principal of Bandla Hydro Engineering College has been taken into custody by the police after female students lodged complaints of sexual harassment. Authorities confirmed this development on Friday.

Students organized a protest on Thursday, demanding the immediate arrest of the accused after a video surfaced online. The footage allegedly shows the accused attempting to inappropriately touch a female student who was hospitalized, while she was covered with a blanket.

According to police reports, the incident in question occurred in March 2024. Superintendent of Police Sandeep Dhawal stated on Friday that the accused has been apprehended and a case of sexual harassment has been registered against him.

Given the seriousness of the allegations, a district-level inquiry committee has been formed, which has submitted its report to the technical education department. The committee's chairperson, Vibha Sharma, mentioned that after recording statements from all parties involved, a report was compiled and forwarded to the relevant department.

Akshay Sood, the director of the technical education department, indicated that actions will be taken based on the findings of the report. Meanwhile, a complaint filed in April by a former student of Sundernagar Engineering College against the same individual has also gone viral on the internet.

The complainant alleged that during her time at college, the current director of Bandla Hydro Engineering College, who was then a senior faculty member, had exhibited 'inappropriate' behavior towards female students.