New Delhi [India], January 3 : The National Commission for Women has taken suo motu cognisance of the death of a 19-year-old second-year government college student in Dharamshala under suspicious circumstances, amid prolonged ragging and sexual harassment.
In a post on X, NCW shared, "The National Commission for Women has taken suo motu cognisance of an extremely serious incident related to ragging, physical harassment, and sexual harassment at the Government Degree College in Dharamshala, in which a 19-year-old female student died during treatment. The Commission strongly condemns this heinous, inhuman, and reprehensible act, which is a gross violation of the student's life, dignity, and rights, and highlights the serious failure of the security mechanism in educational campuses."
"The Honourable Chairperson of the National Commission for Women has written a letter to the Director General of Police, Himachal Pradesh, directing immediate registration of an FIR, arrest of all the accused, a fair and time-bound investigation, preservation of post-mortem and medical records, and ensuring strict action under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, laws preventing sexual harassment, and anti-ragging regulations," the post further shared.
The NCW further stated that, in addition, instructions have been issued for departmental action against guilty/negligent faculty members, review of the anti-ragging mechanism in the college, and strengthening of campus security, awareness, and counselling arrangements.
"In this regard, instructions have been given to submit a detailed Action Taken Report (ATR) to the Commission within 5 days. @himachalpolice #himachal #Dharamshala," NCW added.
The case relates to the death of a 19-year-old second-year student of Government Degree College, Dharamshala, who died during treatment in Ludhiana in December. Her parents alleged that she was subjected to ragging, assault and sexual harassment at the college, which caused severe mental distress and deterioration of her health.
Based on a complaint filed by the victim's father, police later registered an FIR against three fellow students and a college professor under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Himachal Pradesh Educational Institution (Prohibition of) Ragging Act, 2009.
The police said the case was registered on the basis of a complaint lodged by the victim's father, who alleged that on September 18, 2025, three female students assaulted and intimidated his daughter, while a professor sexually harassed her. "Due to these reasons, his daughter was under severe stress, and her health deteriorated. She was treated at various hospitals and later died during treatment at DMC, Ludhiana, on December 26, 2025," police said.
The incident has also drawn the attention of the University Grants Commission (UGC), which has taken serious cognisance of the student's death at Government Degree College in Dharamshala. Acting on media reports, the UGC Anti-Ragging Helpline registered a suo-motu complaint, even as the college administration has maintained that the case is a death and not a suicide. According to the UGC, a police enquiry into the incident is currently underway.
In parallel, the higher education regulator has already constituted a Fact-Finding Committee to examine all aspects of the case, including the circumstances leading to the student's death and the allegations of ragging and sexual harassment. The UGC has reiterated that student safety remains paramount and assured that if any individual is found guilty, stringent action will follow and the culprits will not be spared.