A student from a private engineering college on the outskirts of Visakhapatnam reportedly verbally abused and attacked a woman lecturer on campus after being reprimanded for speaking on the phone during college hours.

The incident, which occurred on Monday, April 21, came to public attention a day later when a video of the altercation went viral on social media, stated a report by The New Indian Express.

According to sources, the lecturer had advised the student to stop using her mobile phone on campus and subsequently confiscated the device after the student continued to speak loudly on the phone. The student, instead of complying, allegedly responded with verbal abuse. The situation escalated when the student removed her footwear and struck the lecturer in front of fellow students.

The entire episode was reportedly captured by another student and circulated widely online, sparking public outrage and drawing criticism from various quarters. Many expressed concern over deteriorating standards of discipline and respect within educational institutions.

Although the Bheemili police confirmed they were aware of the incident, they stated that no formal complaint had been filed by either the lecturer or the college management.

Sources indicated that the college administration chose to caution the student following a request from her parents and considering her academic future. No disciplinary action has been taken so far.

Reactions on social media have been divided.

Several users condemned the student's actions and called for strict disciplinary measures.

One user commented, "Such behaviour should not be tolerated. The student should be dismissed with a transfer certificate reflecting her conduct."

Others urged caution, highlighting the need to understand the full context of the incident. "We only see a short video clip. While the student's behaviour was clearly unacceptable, we should avoid jumping to conclusions without knowing the complete background," another user wrote, according to the report by The New Indian Express.

The college has not issued any official statement on the incident.