No evidence of ragging or caste bias in Dharamshala student death case, state probe finds; narco test of accused teacher underway

Shimla (Himachal Pradesh) [India], January 29 (ANI): A state-level inquiry committee probing the death of a 19-year-old student of a government college in Dharamshala has found no evidence of ragging, use of casteist remarks or indecent behaviour by teachers or students, officials said on Thursday, even as the police investigation, including a narco test of the accused teacher, continues.
The five-member committee constituted by the Directorate of Education submitted its report to the Secretary, Education, through the Director of Higher Education, Dr Amarjeet Sharma. The committee examined allegations raised by the victim's family, including a video purportedly recorded by the student before her death.
Education Secretary Rakesh Kanwar confirmed receipt of the report. "The report has been submitted. The inquiry committee has not found anything against the assistant professor. We are examining the report and will take an appropriate decision," Kanwar said.
On allegations of ragging or caste-based discrimination, Kanwar added, "Nothing was found against the teacher. No student, no teacher and no one else spoke of any such discrimination."
Education Minister Rohit Thakur said, "I have been informed that no evidence of caste-based discrimination was found. However, the police investigation is still going on."
The committee recorded statements of teachers, students and administrative staff at Government College, Dharamshala. It examined CCTV footage, attendance registers, institutional records, the internal complaints mechanism and previous complaints, and found no evidence of ragging, casteist slurs or involvement of the assistant professor named in the FIR.
According to the report, the student had enrolled in the first year of BA in 2024 and later discontinued attending classes. Authorities clarified that the criminal investigation into allegations of sexual harassment and assault is ongoing, and conclusions will be drawn after the medical report and post-mortem findings are fully examined.
On January 1, based on a complaint filed by the victim's father, a case was registered against three girl students for ragging and against an assistant professor for sexual harassment. The state government suspended the accused assistant professor, and all the accused are currently on anticipatory bail granted by a court in Dharamshala.
Police had stated earlier that the victim's father alleged his daughter was beaten and intimidated by three students on September 18, 2025, and that the professor had sexually harassed her, following which she fell ill and underwent treatment at multiple hospitals. The student died on December 26, 2025, at DMC Ludhiana.
The FIR was registered under Sections 75 (sexual harassment), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and Section 3 of the Himachal Pradesh Educational Institution (Prohibition of) Ragging Act, 2009.
A local court on January 17 extended the interim bail of the accused teacher and three students till February 13.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) also took cognisance of the matter and constituted a fact-finding committee, which visited the college on January 6. Separately, a medical board set up to review the treatment and medical circumstances surrounding the death has submitted its report to the police.
Meanwhile, police said a narco test of the accused assistant professor is being conducted after receiving court permission. (ANI)