Demonstrators stone Polytechnic building

PUNE, April 15: The demonstrations against alleged molestation of a Government Polytechnic student by her teacher took an ugly turn on Tu...

PUNE, April 15: The demonstrations against alleged molestation of a Government Polytechnic student by her teacher took an ugly turn on Tuesday as the agitating students and Patit Pavan Sanghatana workers indulged in stone pelting. A mild lathi charge was ordered to bring the situation under control.

The building housing the Government Polytechnic was severely damaged in the stone throwing. Nobody was injured. Later, the Chatushrungi police arrested seven agitators including PPS leaders Sandip Khardekar and Nitin Sontakke on rioting charges.

Meanwhile, the police have found themselves in a tight spot as the student who was allegedly molested has refused to lodge a complaint. Deputy Commissioner of Police Zone III Sanjay Varma told the newspersons that the police did not have any authority to take action against contractual teacher Shridhar Samartharao Hupale as the girl has not lodged a first information report.

Students allege that Hupale molested a student on March 18 after inviting her to his house in Pashan under the garb of assisting her in completing her project report.

Some students and Patit Pavan Sanghatana workers staged demonstrations on the college campus in the morning alleging that the college authorities were trying to hush up the incident.

Several notice boards and window panes of the college building were damaged in the stone pelting. Four air conditioners in the building were also heavily damaged.

A heavy posse of policemen led by DCP Varma, Assistant Commissioner of Police D S Tompe and Inspector Vilas Jadhav vacated the college premises. However, the police were forced to allow the agitators to return on the campus when the protestors resorted to a rasta roko on busy Ganeshkhind Road.

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The police and college authorities decided to address the protestors and clarify on the situation after all efforts to convince the girl to lodge a complaint failed. Varma said some of the PPS workers tried to snatch the microphone while he was addressing the agitators.

Meanwhile, the college principal Y V Devaikar has issued a press note denying that he was trying to hush up the matter. Devaikar also said in the press note that he has lodged a written complaint with the police.