Student alleges harassment at Central University of Karnataka; worker held after midnight protest

A postgraduate student at the Central University of Karnataka (CUK) in Kadaganchi, Aland taluk, was allegedly harassed and subjected to an attempted assault on campus late on Friday evening, triggering an overnight protest by students.

The student, enrolled in the MA History programme, was walking on the university premises when a worker employed at a construction site on campus allegedly accosted and harassed her. She informed her classmates, who took the matter to the on-duty campus security staff.

Tensions escalated after protesting students claimed that the security supervisor did not act against the accused and instead tried to shield him. Members of the Akhila Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, joined by other students, staged a demonstration near the university's main entrance gate close to midnight.

The protesters demanded immediate criminal action against the worker and the suspension of the security supervisor, raising slogans against the university administration over what they described as lapses in student safety. The agitation continued until around 2 a.m.

Following information about the protest, Kalaburagi Superintendent of Police Adduru Srinivasulu and personnel from Narona Police Station visited the spot. The suspect was taken into custody and a case was registered.

CUK Vice-Chancellor Battu Satyanarayana also visited the protest site and spoke to the agitating students. He assured them of a thorough inquiry into both the alleged harassment and the security breach, and appealed to the students to call off the demonstration.