Another allegation of caste discrimination has come forward from one of the premier technological institutes in the country. An Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi alumnus belonging to the Dalit community has levelled allegations of caste-based harassment against the hostel staff, police said on Friday, November 3.
The alumnus, a native of Gurugram, in his complaint, alleged that during his stay at the IIT hostel, he was tortured and harassed based on caste by the catering staff and hostel warden, a PTI report stated.
A case was registered by the police against five people under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 at Paddhar Police Station on Friday.
The institute management has also constituted a committee to investigate the matter. The accused include the hostel warden and four faculty members, added PTI.
The inquiry has been handed over to a DSP-rank officer and a team has interrogated the accused at the preliminary level, police said, adding that they would be summoned again for further investigation.
Recent controversies at IIT Mandi
In September, the IIT Mandi authorities swung into action and suspended 10 students, including office-bearers of the student body, and initiated disciplinary action against 62 others for allegedly ragging their juniors during an event.
Days later, IIT Mandi Director Laxmidhar Behera stirred a controversy after he asked students to take a pledge not to eat meat while claiming that landslides and cloudbursts in Himachal Pradesh are happening because of cruelty to animals.