A second-year engineering student of Chennai’s Anna College was allegedly attacked on the campus on the evening of December 23, sparking outrage over security lapses and politically charged entertainment. The incident came to light after the victim filed a police complaint on December 24.
The accused, Gnanasekaran, 37, who has a criminal history, was arrested on December 25, a day after the victim approached the police helpline. He is accused of shooting the victim along with a male friend, extorting money from her with the video and then assaulting her.
What happened at Anna University?
The victim, along with her male friend, was near an ancient building near Raj Bhavan and IIT Madras in an inaccessible part of the sprawling campus when the accused approached them around 8 pm. According to a Times of India report, Gnanasekaran allegedly threatened his companion, a third-year student, to run away and continued to attack her.
Before fleeing, he asked for her phone number and threatened her to meet him whenever she called.
Past feelings and assaults
The police found that Gnanasekaran, who runs a roadside restaurant near the campus, has a criminal record, which includes over 15 cases of robbery and theft. In 2011, he was arrested for sexually assaulting another woman on the same campus, though it is not clear if that case was tried, a report by Deccan Proclaim said
“The suspect has confessed to the crime,” a senior police officer told Deccan Herald.
Samples have been collected from the crime scene, and experts are looking for the accused’s mobile phone, suspecting it may contain evidence of similar crimes.
The police have registered a case under various sections of the BNS, including charges of assault and sexual harassment. The agents are working closely with Anna University’s internal complaints committee (ICC-POSH), where the victim first reported the assault.
University experts and the Chennai police have reported a joint security survey to address possible lapses. Measures to further enhance campus security are expected to follow.
Students’ dissent and demands
On Wednesday, student organisations staged a protest outside Anna College, demanding better security for students living on campus. They condemned the organisation for failing to address long-standing security concerns.
