The National Commission for Women (NCW) on Thursday took suo moto cognizance of the brutal sexual assault of a 19-year-old student from renowned Anna University, Chennai. Condemning the act, the commission also expressed solidarity in the ‘victim’s fight for justice’.
“The NCW has taken suo moto cognizance of the disturbing sexual assault of a 19-year-old student from Anna University, Chennai. The commission condemns this heinous act in the strongest terms and stands with the victim in her fight for justice,” it said.
Questioning the law and order in Tamil Nadu, the NCW added to its statement: “The accused is a habitual offender, with Tamil Nadu Police failing to act on previous cases. This negligence has emboldened him to commit such crimes, raising serious concerns about the collapsing law and order situation in Tamil Nadu.”
In a bid to offer support and ensure justice, NCW chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar issued directives to the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police (DGP) for free medical care and protection of the victim. She also recommended adding Section 71 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, to the FIR for stricter punitive measures against the accused.
Additionally, the NCW called for action against police officers who publicly revealed the identity of the victim, a direct violation of Supreme Court guidelines and Section 72 of the BNS, 2023.
What’s the case about?
On December 23, a second-year engineering student at Anna University, located near the high-security Raj Bhavan and IIT Madras, was raped by a 37-year-old intruder, Gnanasekaran, who has a criminal history involving about 15 cases of theft and robbery. The incident occurred around 8 PM when the survivor was chatting with her boyfriend in an isolated part of the campus. Gnanasekaran filmed the couple’s intimate moments, threatened them, forced the boyfriend to leave, and assaulted the student.
The survivor contacted the police the next day after her exam. Acting swiftly, the police identified and arrested Gnanasekaran by reviewing campus CCTV footage. He was previously arrested in 2011 for a similar offense at Anna University.
After the incident, university authorities announced plans to enhance campus security by installing additional CCTV cameras and engaging ex-servicemen for patrols. The incident also sparked political debates. Opposition leaders criticised the state government, highlighting concerns about inadequate safety measures for women at university premises. In response to the backlash, Govi Chezhiaan, the state minister for higher education, assured prompt measures to prevent such incidents in the future. He also cautioned critics against politicising the current situation, referencing the Pollachi sexual assault cases during the AIADMK administration.