Professor alleges sexual assault by students during 'gherao' at Maulana Azad University

The campus witnessed unrest after hundreds of students demanded the resignation of its proctor
Professor alleges sexual assault by students during 'gherao' at Maulana Azad University
Professor alleges sexual assault by students during 'gherao' at Maulana Azad University
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Even as students of the Maulana Azad National Urdu University (Manuu) continued protesting for a second day on` Tuesday, provost Aziz Banu complained that students had sexually assaulted her during Monday's protests.

“My colleagues have taken the complaint to the police. I was punched and kicked as well. I have mentioned that I was sexually assaulted in my complaint," Banu told the Times of India, while adding that protesting students had gheraoed her and also pulled off her headscarf.

Manuu proctor Abdul Wahid, who was gheraod by the students on Monday, has also filed a complaint to the police and has said that he feared his life.

"I only went to reason with them. But they attacked me and I am sure they would have killed me. I fear for my life and my family's safety," Wahid told TOI. 

Dr Pradeep Kumar, an associate professor also told the newspaper that he was being targeted for this faith as he was a 'minority' in the university.

The campus witnessed large scale unrest on Monday after hundreds of students demanded the resignation of its proctor S A Wahab and other staffers.

Around 1,200 students also boycotted classes and held demonstrations in front of the administration block of the university throughout the day.

The chief demands of these students were the restoration of monthly fellowship and better facilities for their hostels, which they claimed, were in poor condition and overcrowded.

They also demanded lesser restriction on girls in the university.

Many female hostelers also tore up attendance registers of the girls' hostel, protesting against 'regressive rules' that did not let them step out after 7 pm, even to go to the library.

The students allegedly have to give a two day notice and sign three registers to step out after curfew. They have demanded that the time be extended to 11 pm, in support of gender equality.

The protests continued on Tuesday, even as a large number of cops stood by at the gates. 

Meanwhile, the university made it clear that the provost and proctor would not resign, but accepted to hold talks with students to sort out the issue.

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