Another Rape Case In JNU; Police Books AISA Activist, Suspect He’s On The Run

Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is in the news again. And yet again, it is not for the right reasons.

A 28-year-old woman, who is a first-year PhD student at the university, has alleged that Anmol Ratan, a JNU student and leading activist of the All India Student Association (AISA), raped her on 20 August.

In a police complaint filed by her, she narrated how the accused lured her into his hostel room. She told the cops that she had asked for a copy of the film Sairat on social media, as she wished to watch it. Ratan told her he had a copy and asked her to come to his room in Brahmaputra hostel. She alleges that he then offered her a drink which was spiked, and raped her when she was unconscious.

The police have registered a rape case against Ratan, and the investigation is currently underway. He is said to be on the run.

The Indian Express reported that a team of forensic experts visited the campus and took some samples from his room. They also questioned other students at the hostel.

Meanwhile, AISA, which is an extreme left-wing organisation, has expelled Anmol Ratan from the organisation. In a statement released soon after the police booked him, it said, “AISA takes serious note of the fact that Anmol Ratan, a leading activist of AISA, is facing a criminal complaint of sexual assault. He is, henceforth, expelled from the primary membership of AISA.”

The organisation has also vowed to extend all possible support in her fight for justice.

The university has also released a statement saying that it stands with the victim. It has also appealed to the students, staff and teachers to remain vigilant against such incidents on the campus in the future.

Such cases are not alien to the JNU. The university campus, which boasts of fighting constantly for gender justice, has a history of being in the news for incidents like these. A few months ago, a former JNU research student had accused the university’s Students’ Union President Kanhaiya Kumar of misbehaving with her and threatening her after she had confronted him about urinating in the open on the campus.