Rajasthan varsity covers up rape cases, 3 arrested

Hundreds of students of Banasthali Vidyapith carried out a protest against the institution`s management for allegedly covering up two rape cases.

Jaipur: A hostel warden and a driver were on Friday arrested after students of Banasthali Vidyapith in Tonk district protested against the institution`s management for allegedly covering up two cases of rape in the university.

Lalita, the hostel warden, was arrested for locking up two girls, who were demanding investigation in alleged rape cases, in a hostel room, while ambulance driver Nehru was put behind bars for allegedly molesting a girl, police said.

Over a thousand girls went on rampage last evening in the Vidhyapith campus in Niwai town alleging that two girls had been raped on separate occasions recently but the management had covered up the cases.

"The hostel warden had locked two girls in a room last evening when they were demanding that the alleged incidents be probed following which large number of girls laid a siege and went on rampage last night," police said.

"Police unlocked the room and freed the girl last night," they said.

Three separate cases were today registered with Niwai police station. A rape case was registered by a student against unknown accused, second was lodged by police against the hostel warden for holding the girl hostage and the third case was against the ambulance driver for allegedly outraging her modesty, police sources said.

The driver had allegedly molested a girl student when she went to visit her friend (said to be a rape victim) who was admitted in the hospital inside the campus, they said.

The students alleged that two girls -- one of class XI and the other of B Tech first year -- were raped in the last few days but the institution`s management hushed up the cases and threatened the girls to keep quiet.

Today, a faction of girls shouted slogans in favour of institute management while another group continued to allege cover up of the cases.

"We are questioning one girl who is said to be the victim of the rape but nothing is clear whether the incident took place or not," a police officer present on the campus said.

Senior police and administration officials are camping in the area since last night.
University management refused to comment.

PTI

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