Updates at University of Hyderabad
On March 23rd, the University of Hyderabad carefully planned the return of Vice-Chancellor Appa Rao, who is currently under investigation and is charged with SC/ST Atrocities Act. Students protested his return, following which they were beat up and arrested by the police (2 professors were also picked up by the police). The college was put under bandh and for an entire day, students had no food, water or internet connection. The paramilitary forces in the university, beat up students (men & women), threatened girl students with rape and arrested students who were also just cooking food. Media was not allowed into the university and most mainstream media did not even cover the atrocities against the student. The arrested students were beat up in police custody and have still not been granted bail.
Other News
Adivasi rights activist Soni Sori’s nephew Lingaram Kodopi has accused the Bastar police of pressuring Sori’s family to say that the attack on her last month was the result of a personal dispute or orchestrated by herself to gain sympathy.
The Bombay High Court directed Maharashtra government to set up trauma centres across the state to ensure that rape victims are taken there for treatment, counselling and rehabilitation immediately after the FIR is registered in a police station in such cases.
Two Nigerian nationals were assaulted after one of them protested and scolded a child for throwing a water balloon (on occasion of Holi) at him in a West Delhi. They were attacked by 12 men.
Rita Izsák-Ndiaye, United Nations Human Rights Council’s special rapporteur for minority issues, has submitted a 20-page report on caste-discrimination in India. The said report has however, irked the Indian government, which says that questions would be raised about the lack of “seriousness of work” in the UN body.
Reported Rapes & Rape Case Updates (*Trigger Warning*)
Several cases of rape and child sexual abuse were reported. Verdicts and sentences were also pronounced.
A 19-year-old girl was raped and murdered in Shillong, which gave rise to widespread protests & solidarity march seeking justice and immediate action.
In Madhya Pradesh, a 22-year-old tribal woman died when was set on fire by a man for resisting rape.
A 11-year-old rape survivor in Madhya Pradesh, faces social boycott after she returned home to Itarsi in Hoshangabad district. The rapist is from the powerful Yadav community and nobody wants the girl to live in the village.
In Thiruvananthapuram, a 57-year-old man was arrested for attempting to rape his daughter.
In Belagavi, the supporters of an accused under imprisonment on charges of raping a four-year-old girl, are threatening her parents to withdraw the rape charge.
In Manipur, a teacher has been arrested on charges of attempting to rape a 15-year-old schoolgirl.
Asaram Bapu Rape Case: The father of the girl, who was raped by Asaram Bapu, has been threatened by an unidentified person to withdraw the case or face dire consequences.
A man has been arrested in Jalaun (Uttar Pradesh) for raping his 18-year-old daughter. The complaint was registered after the survivor recorded a video clip of the rape.
What We-re Reading
Apparently, the odds that a panel would be all-men is astronomical! This mathematician’s formula suggests that all-male lineups don’t “just happen,” and they cannot just happen. Math rescues us this time from arguing against sexism.
Featured Image Credit: Police Brutality at University of Hyderabad | facebook.com
