Tension at Symbiosis Law School Nagpur over student's allegation against faculty member; police deployed

Tension prevailed at Symbiosis Law School in Wathoda, Nagpur, on Saturday after a woman student alleged that a faculty member had sent her inappropriate text messages. Representatives of various organisations and a large number of students were present on the campus, and police kept the situation under control. The institute's internal inquiry into the matter is still under way.

On Saturday morning, about 15 to 17 representatives of various organisations reached the university gate and protested over the matter. Police stepped in and helped arrange talks between the protesters and the management.

At around 6:45 pm, about 15 to 20 people arrived at the university with the student and her father. The institute's internal inquiry committee had called an open-house meeting at the same time. An estimated 100 to 120 students gathered on the campus.

Police managed the crowd. A delegation of six to seven people, including the student, was allowed to speak to the university administration.

At the meeting, the inquiry committee assured that the allegations would be investigated seriously and appropriate action taken within a fixed time frame.

DCP Zone 2 Nityanand Jha said that no formal written complaint had so far been filed with the police by the student or her parents.

He clarified that despite the matter being discussed on social media, there was no law-and-order disturbance on the campus. Police are in constant coordination with the university administration.

Earlier, Symbiosis Law School Nagpur director Dr Sukhvinder Singh Dari had said that the faculty member concerned had been sent on leave until the internal inquiry was completed. The faculty member has also been barred from coming to the campus and from taking part in any academic activity.

Police have appealed to students, parents and the public not to trust unverified information and rumours spreading on social media.

For now, the matter remains at the stage of the institute's internal inquiry. The way forward will become clear only after a formal police complaint is filed and the inquiry findings emerge.