NIT Trichy campus — no place for women students?

In response to massive protests by the students of the National Institute of Technology (NIT), Trichy in Tamil Nadu against a sexual harassment incident on the campus, the Warden of a girl’s hostel where the incident occurred resigned today, August 30, informed students of the campus. 

The protests were sparked by an act of sexual harassment against a resident of the Opal Hostel on the campus by an electrician in her room yesterday, August 29. In a statement, the victim, who requested to be kept anonymous, narrated that an electrical worker, who came to her room to fix her WiFi flashed his genitals at her and touched himself in her presence. 

Noticing this, she fled the room out of fear but noticed that the technician was missing when she returned. However, she narrates that there was semen all over her floor. 

This electrician was a contract worker hired to fix the WiFi problems in the Opal Hostel. According to The News Minute, about 15 electricians were working in the hostel building at the same time. However, there was only one steward to accompany the workers in the building. 

The victim narrates that when she tried to report the issue to the steward and the warden, neither of them took her complaints seriously. She further claims that they did not even agree to testify as witnesses at the police station when the victim tried to file a complaint. 

Instead, the warden and the steward tried to blame the victim for what the technician did and used phrases like “she isn’t even wearing pants” when she was wearing a long skirt, the victim alleges in her statement. 

The victim’s parents eventually testified as witnesses, and the technician was placed in police custody. 

However, the warden continued to taunt the residents of the hostel, saying that they would not consider any maintenance requests from them, and labelling the students as “ungrateful”. Following this, students of NIT Trichy launched a protest in front of the hostel, demanding the suspension of the warden. 

“The protests started last night and lasted till five in the morning,” says a former student of the institute, who is in touch with the victim. She adds that the wardens and security personnel tried to disperse the protests many times during the course of the night. 

The warden of the Opal Hostel issued an apology to the protestors this morning, and eventually submitted her resignation, the former student informs. She adds that the Superintendent of Police also assured the students that action would be taken to improve the security situation on the campus. 

Furthermore, the President of NIT’s Alumni Association would also be visiting the campus to talk to the students, she informed. 

“NIT Trichy unsafe for students”

Students of the institute have been alleging that the institute has not been a very safe space for them, and that instances of harassment are rampant in the campus — particularly sexual harassment. 

To recall, in 2019, a student of the institute was raped by a local rowdy at the bus stop of the institute. 

“The campus is generally an unsafe space for its students. Outsiders can enter the campus without visitor ID cards, and there aren’t enough CCTV cameras in blind spots,” says the former student. 

She adds that aside from these lapses, the administration of NIT Trichy is especially unsafe for its female students — particularly due to the apathetic approach towards the administration towards sexual harassment.

“The administration is extremely sexist, and often resorts to victim blaming when they receive complaints of sexual harassment. As a result, several cases go unreported,” the former student says. 

“While we and the rest of the students are protesting for increased security, the victim just hopes that such incidents do not happen to anyone else. She wants to see a change in the administration’s mindset,” she adds.