NCSC holds inquiry into IIT Madras research scholar rape case, custodial death

CHENNAI: Arun Halder, vice-chairman of the National Commission of Scheduled Castes, (NCSC), who conducted an inquiry into the alleged rape of a IIT-Madras research scholar, on Wednesday said he has asked the authorities to immediately rusticate the accused students. "I spoke to the victim. And I asked the college authorities as to why no action was taken on the rape charge. I asked them to immediately rusticate the accused," Halder told reporters here.

He said he would release the report on his observations after returning to the national capital. The vice-chairman, who arrived here to also inquire into the alleged death of V Vignesh in police custody here, and inspect the Secretariat Colony police station in connection with the death, said the police claimed the accused Vignesh and Suresh were habitual offenders. "I asked them: why not arrest and send them to jail instead. If Vignesh died after police beating him, then you would have to call it murder," Halder said.

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Recently, the police stopped the duo during a routine vehicle-check, found a knife and ganja in their possession and asked them to go to the police station for an inquiry. But, the following day, Vignesh developed seizures after breakfast and the doctors declared him as "brought dead."

Halder further said the Prevention of Atrocity Act was subsequently added and the case has been transferred to the Crime Branch CID for investigation. "The public view of the SC/ST community has to change... there is very low awareness," the vice-chairman observed.

The victim had accused her fellow scholar of sexually assaulting her repeatedly and also harassing her at workplace along with accomplices, including two of her professors, for nearly four years after she joined the institution in 2016.