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“UGC has taken serious cognisance of the tragic death of a student at Government Degree College, Dharamsala. The UGC Anti-Ragging Helpline registered a suo motu complaint based on media reports alleging ragging leading to suicide. At the same time, the college authorities have stated that the case is a death and not a suicide,” a senior UGC official said.
New Delhi: The University Grants Commission (UGC) on Saturday ordered a probe into the death of a 19-year-old student at a government college in Himachal Pradesh’s Dharamsala, following allegations of ragging and harassment. The UGC has constituted a fact-finding committee to examine the incident, officials said, even as a police investigation is already underway.
“UGC has taken serious cognisance of the tragic death of a student at Government Degree College, Dharamsala. The UGC Anti-Ragging Helpline registered a suo motu complaint based on media reports alleging ragging leading to suicide. At the same time, the college authorities have stated that the case is a death and not a suicide,” a senior UGC official said.
“A police inquiry is underway, and UGC has constituted a Fact-Finding Committee to examine the incident. UGC assures that culprits will not be spared and that stringent action will follow. Student safety is paramount,” the official added.
Police Case Registered, Allegations Detailed
According to the police, three students of the college have been booked for ragging and voluntarily causing hurt, while a college professor has been booked for sexual harassment in connection with the case. The student died during treatment at a hospital in Ludhiana on December 26.
The case was registered on January 1 following a complaint by the victim’s father. In his statement, he alleged that his daughter was physically assaulted on September 18, 2025, by three senior students—Harshita, Aakriti and Komolika—and that a professor, Ashok Kumar, subjected her to obscene acts.
The complainant further alleged that due to the beating, harassment and intimidation, his daughter suffered severe mental stress and fear, leading to a rapid deterioration in her health. She was hospitalised multiple times before succumbing during treatment, he said.
Parallel Probes to Establish Cause and Accountability
Police officials said investigations are ongoing to establish the sequence of events, examine medical records, and determine any causal link between the alleged incidents of ragging and harassment and the student’s death. Statements of classmates, teachers, college authorities and family members are being recorded.
The UGC’s intervention adds a parallel institutional inquiry to the criminal investigation, bringing renewed focus on campus safety, anti-ragging enforcement and accountability in higher education institutions. The findings of the fact-finding committee are expected to guide further regulatory action against the college, if warranted.
