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‘Punish him so other girls don’t suffer’: National Sanskrit University student in ICC complaint against professor

Tirupati National Sanskrit University Sexual Assault Case: 2 assistant professors have been arrested in the case. They are accused of sexually harassing the student and blackmailing her with videos.

Written by: Nikhila Henry, Sreenivas Janyala

5 min readHyderabadUpdated: Dec 12, 2025 10:56 AM IST

A faculty member, who knows the woman well, said she had allegedly been sexually assaulted multiple times and that she was facing “severe mental trauma”.

NSU Sexual Assault Case News: A student from the National Sanskrit University (NSU) in Andhra Pradesh’s Tirupati, whose allegation of sexual assault led to the arrest of two assistant professors on Tuesday, wrote to the internal complaints committee (ICC) of the institution on November 24, saying, “I humbly request you to keep my identity secret and punish him so that other girls will not suffer.”

People close to her told The Indian Express that Assistant Professor Dr Laxman Kumar had allegedly sexually assaulted the young woman and blackmailed her with footage of the assault. His colleague, Dr A Sekhar Reddy, was allegedly an accomplice in the matter. Both were arrested on charges of sexual assault, voyeurism and insulting the modesty of a woman.

Police said Kumar’s office was one of the locations of the alleged assault. According to the police investigation, while Kumar allegedly sexually assaulted the survivor, Reddy filmed the act. The latter also allegedly used these photos and videos to blackmail and physically harass her. They both allegedly threatened to put the videos online if she complained against them, police said.

A faculty member, who knows the woman well, said she had allegedly been sexually assaulted multiple times and that she was facing “severe mental trauma”.

“Laxman first sexually assaulted the survivor a few months ago and allegedly recorded a video, which he had been using to blackmail her and sexually assault her further. This had been going on for months. When the woman reported the matter to her parents, they forced her to discontinue the course. But before she left the university, she gave a written complaint to the ICC so that others do not face the same plight as her,” the faculty member said.

The complaint reads, “This situation has caused me severe mental stress and fear, and I request you to kindly take immediate action in this matter. I request guidance in the next steps to ensure my safety.”

The ICC, which met from December 1 to 5, first confiscated the phones of both the accused. It then wrote to the univesity’s Registrar, saying, “The ICC felt that there is a prima facie case, and the confiscated phones of Dr Laxman Kumar and Dr A Sekhar Reddy must be examined by authorised technical/cyber/forensic investigating agency to retrieve any video… and then the final conclusion of the case must be drawn.”

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University authorities then approached the Tirupati West police on December 6 with a complaint.

Inspector V Murali Mohan of the Tirupati West police station said Laxman Kumar allegedly befriended the woman before sexually assaulting her. “She kept to herself mostly in the last five-six months. None of her classmates knew about this until she filed the complaint. She did not discuss the incident with anyone and left the university campus, fearing for her safety after filing the complaint,” the inspector said.

He also said rumours that the survivor was pregnant were false.

The university has suspended the accused assistant professors. Sources said the institution is also investigating whether the accused have targeted other students in the past.

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Professor Rajanikant Shukla of NSU told The Indian Express that Kumar and Reddy had joined as assistant professors in 2019. “We have not had any complaints against either of them previously. There had also been no reason to be suspicious of their activities,” he said.

Political storm

The case has become a political flashpoint in Andhra Pradesh, with the YSRCP targeting the ruling TDP and accusing authorities of trying to “hush up” the matter.

Tirupati MP Maddila Gurumoorthy of the YSRCP issued a notice to move an adjournment motion in Lok Sabha over the case. The notice was rejected. Gurumoorthy has also written letters to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the National Commission for Women, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, and the National Human Rights Commission regarding the case.

Gurumoorthy said the “student had submitted written complaints to the university authorities weeks ago, and it was hushed up”.

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TDP leader and state Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha said the government has already instituted a probe into the case. “No one will be spared. The Superintendent of Police is directly handling the probe,” Anitha said.

Asked whether there was any delay in the university taking up the case, a faculty member answered in the negative. “The moment the complaint was lodged, we did everything in our power to ensure the safety of the survivor,” the faculty member said.

The survivor has, meanwhile, moved back home. “We had asked her not to discontinue her studies. We are still in touch with her to bring her back to the campus,” the faculty member said.

Nikhila Henry

Nikhila Henry is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, based in Hyderabad. With a career spanning 17 years, she has established herself as an authoritative voice on South Indian affairs, specialising in the complex intersections of politics, education, and social justice. Experience & Career: Nikhila commenced her journalism career in 2007 as an education correspondent for The Times of India in Hyderabad,where she gained recognition for her coverage of student politics. Her professional trajectory includes a four-year tenure at The Hindu, where she focused on minority affairs and social welfare. In 2019, she took on a leadership role as the South Bureau Chief for The Quint, where she directed regional coverage across all five South Indian states. Her expansive career also includes a tenure at the BBC in New Delhi and contributions to prestigious international outlets such as The Sunday Times (London) and HuffPost India. Expertise & Focus Areas Nikhila’s reportage is marked by a deep-seated understanding of grassroots movements and institutional policy. Her core focus areas include: Regional Politics: Comprehensive analysis of the socio-political dynamics across South India. Education & Student Movements: Chronicling the evolution of Indian academics and the rise of youth activism. Minority Affairs: Rigorous reporting on the welfare, rights, and challenges facing marginalized communities. National Beat: Elevating regional stories to national prominence through investigative and on-ground reporting. Authoritativeness & Trust A respected figure in Indian media, Nikhila is not only a seasoned reporter but also an accomplished author and editor. She authored the critically acclaimed book The Ferment: Youth Unrest in India and edited Caste is Not a Rumour, a collection of writings by Rohith Vemula. Her dual background in daily news reporting and long-form authorship allows her to provide readers with a nuanced, historically-informed perspective on contemporary Indian society. Find all stories by Nikhila Henry here. ... Read More

Sreenivas Janyala

Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance. Expertise and Experience Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues: High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy. Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules. Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes. Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak. Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states. ... Read More

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