Dalit woman student’s death sparks allegations of institutional neglect in Himachal college

By A Representative 

A Dalit rights organisation has alleged severe caste- and gender-based institutional violence leading to the death of a 19-year-old Dalit woman student at Government Degree College, Dharamshala, Himachal Pradesh, and has demanded arrests, resignations, and an independent inquiry into the case.

In a press release issued on Saturday, Dalit Adivasi Shakti Adhikar Manch (DASAM) and its women’s collective, Mahila Kaamkaji Manch (MKM), condemned what they described as the “tragic and preventable” death of Pallavi, a first-year student belonging to a Scheduled Caste community. The organisation alleged that Pallavi was subjected to prolonged ragging, sexual harassment, physical assault, intimidation, and psychological trauma by senior students and a faculty member, and that these acts were enabled by institutional inaction and state apathy.

According to DASAM, the complaint filed by Pallavi’s father and the first information report registered by the police state that she faced sustained abuse on the college campus. Three senior students—Harshita, Aakriti, and Komolika—have been named in the FIR for allegedly subjecting her to ragging, humiliation, and physical violence. The organisation said the alleged acts attract provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, particularly those relating to caste-based insult, intimidation, and abuse in public spaces.

The FIR also names a faculty member at the college, who is accused of sexually inappropriate behaviour and harassment. DASAM stated that allegations against a faculty member involving sexual misconduct toward a Dalit woman student invoke specific provisions of the SC/ST Act that recognise the intersection of caste, gender, and institutional power, in addition to offences under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The organisation further pointed to Pallavi’s repeated hospitalisations and reported psychological distress, stating that the circumstances of her death highlight a failure to provide mental health care and protection from degrading treatment, as mandated under the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017. DASAM alleged that the college administration failed to offer counselling, safety measures, or any trauma-informed response, amounting to a violation of her right to life with dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution.

Holding the college administration accountable, DASAM demanded that provisions relating to neglect of duty by public servants under the SC/ST Act be invoked against officials who allegedly failed to act on complaints or warning signs. It also sought immediate implementation of victim and family rights under the Act, including protection, information, relief, and compensation.

The organisation said the alleged ragging also constitutes offences under the Himachal Pradesh Educational Institutions (Prohibition of Ragging) Act, 2009, while the allegations against the faculty member attract provisions of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013. The failure to activate statutory mechanisms under these laws, it said, reflects systemic caste and gender discrimination.

Among its demands, DASAM called for the immediate arrest of all accused persons, stating that anticipatory bail is barred under the SC/ST Act, the resignation of the college principal for alleged failure to act, and the resignation of the Himachal Pradesh Education Minister. It also sought termination of the accused professor from service, rustication of the accused students, involvement of the National Human Rights Commission and the National Commission for Women, and a time-bound judicial inquiry into institutional responsibility, along with compensation and rehabilitation for Pallavi’s family.

DASAM said incidents of violence against Dalit women in educational institutions have a wider chilling effect, discouraging access to education and public life, and described the case as a systemic failure rather than an isolated tragedy. The organisation said it would continue legal and public advocacy efforts until accountability is ensured and educational spaces become safe and equitable for Dalit women.