The National Commission for Women has taken suo motu cognisance of a disturbing case of ragging, physical assault, and sexual harassment at a Government Degree College in Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh. The incident came into light after a 19-year-old student died during medical treatment due to prolonged harassment by her classmates and a professor.
The National Commission for Women has taken suo motu cognisance of an extremely serious incident related to ragging, physical abuse, and sexual harassment at a Government Degree College located in Dharamshala, in which a 19-year-old female student died during treatment: NCW pic.twitter.com/3vz0XI42CW
— IANS (@ians_india) January 3, 2026
“The Commission strongly condemns this heinous, inhuman, and reprehensible act that constitutes a serious violation of the life, dignity, and rights of the student and puts into evidence the huge failure of safety mechanisms at Educational Institutions. The Hon’ble Chairperson of the National Commission for Women has written to the Director General of Police, Himachal Pradesh, directing immediate registration of an FIR, arrest of all accused persons, a fair and time-bound investigation, preservation of post-mortem and medical records, and strict action under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, sexual harassment prevention laws, and anti-ragging regulations”, the NCW notification stated.
Additionally, directions have been issued for departmental action against guilty or negligent faculty members, a review of the anti-ragging mechanism in the college, and the strengthening of campus security, awareness, and counselling systems.
The Commission has also ordered the submission of a comprehensive Action Taken Report (ATR) within five days.
Student died after continuous physical abuse and sexual harassment
The deceased student was a second-year undergraduate student at the Government Degree College in Dharamshala. According to her family, she had been facing continuous ragging, physical abuse, and sexual harassment within the college premises for several months.
Her parents accused the harassment of adversely impacting her mental health, which led her to suffer from depression and anxiety. Despite taking her to several hospitals for treatment, her condition continued to deteriorate. Pallavi passed away on 26th December 2025 while taking treatment in a hospital in Ludhiana.
According to the family, the college setting turned out to be the source of her trauma instead of guarantees of safety and protection.
FIR filed against professor and fellow students
Following the student’s death, the victim’s father, a resident of Sidhbari in Dharamsala, filed a formal complaint, leading to the registration of an FIR against one professor and three female students of the same college. The FIR includes serious allegations of ragging, physical assault, mental harassment, and sexual misconduct.
According to the family, they had earlier raised concerns through the Chief Minister’s helpline on 20th December, but by then the girl’s condition had already deteriorated significantly.
“My daughter is no more. I want justice. What happened to her should never happen to any other child,” said the grieving father, demanding strict punishment for all those involved.
‘She was beaten and threatened,’ father says
In his complaint, the victim’s father stated that on 18th September, she was assaulted by three female classmates. He claimed she was beaten, threatened, and mentally harassed, leaving her traumatised.
“She called me crying and told me she had been beaten. When we brought her home, she was in complete panic. She was harassed so badly that she slipped into depression,” he said.
#WATCH | Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh | Father of the victim says, "This is a very tough time for us as my daughter has died. The professor of the college harassed her. You would have seen the video as well, in which she explains everything regarding the incident. The college… https://t.co/6aEp9UF05P pic.twitter.com/bzlAWs2iwm
— ANI (@ANI) January 3, 2026
The mother of the victim echoed the demand for justice, insisting that the family is not seeking revenge but a fair investigation.
“We have all her medical reports. I don’t want any innocent person to be punished, but those responsible must not escape,” she said.
Allegations against professor and video evidence
The father has also accused Professor Ashok Kumar of making inappropriate advances towards his daughter, misbehaving with her in class, and mentally harassing her on campus. He said the family could not approach the police earlier due to the student’s fragile health condition.
According to him, Pallavi recorded a video shortly before her death, in which she spoke about the professor’s behaviour and the mental pressure she faced. The video reportedly also mentions threats made against her for resisting the professor’s actions.
🎥 | In a video recorded before her death, a Dharamshala college student recounts alleged ragging, assault and sexual harassment. An FIR has been filed against a professor and three senior students as the case triggers widespread outrage.#Dharamshala #RaggingCase… pic.twitter.com/STPOcqT3S0
— The Statesman (@TheStatesmanLtd) January 3, 2026
“You must have seen the video. She explained everything clearly. The college administration should feel ashamed,” the father said.
The police have verified that the video will be taken in for review as part of the investigation.
Police say probe is at preliminary stage
The Dharamshala police have registered a case under Sections 75, 115(2), and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) besides Section 3 of the Himachal Pradesh Educational Institutions (Prohibition of Ragging) Act, 2009.
Dharamshala Superintendent of Police Ashok Ratan said the investigation was at a preliminary stage.
“We are verifying all allegations, including those relating to sexual harassment by faculty members and ragging by fellow students. Further action will be based on evidence,” he said.
UGC orders fact-finding probe
The University Grants Commission has also taken serious note of the incident. It announced the formation of a fact-finding committee to probe into the circumstances leading to the student’s death.
“Safety of the students cannot be compromised, and stringent action will be taken against any such finding,” said the UGC, reiterating that anti-ragging and harassment prevention guidelines are to be strictly adhered to by institutions.
The Himachal Pradesh State Women’s Commission has also sought a detailed report from the SP of Kangra district.
“The death of a young student under such circumstances is extremely serious. We will examine every aspect to ensure justice, and those responsible will face strict action,” the commission said.
