Father of Visva Bharati sexually harassed Sikkim girl threatens suicide

Bhawani Pradhan, the father of a girl who was sexually harassed at Visva Bharati in Santiniketan in August 2014, on Saturday came down heavily on authorities concerned and threatened to commit suicide in front of the prime minister’s residence if justice is denied. Addressing the Press here, Pradhan, a private painting tutor in Gangtok in Sikkim, said: “Despite running from pillar to post, my daughter, a BA first-year student of Kala Bhawan in Santinikentan, and us, have not been given justice. My daughter is still mentally traumatized and she is undergoing treatment in a Sikkim hospital. She is in no position to continue her studies. Her life and my family are almost ruined, mentally, financially and physically.”

We had met the Bolpur SP and other authorities concerned on 9 September, and gave them a one-month deadline to take action against the accused.

Bhawani Pradhan addressing the Press meet on Saturday (Darpan pic)

“If they act, I will reconsider my decision, but if they don’t, I will commit suicide in protest in front of the residence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in

Delhi on 9 October,” Pradhan said. “Three of the four accused persons are out on bail. The fourth person is still not identified and he was never arrested. Though the three accused were charge-sheeted, the trial in the case has not started. I will meet the Bolpur SP in early October and before leaving for Delhi on 5 October,” he added.“I cannot deny Sikkim chief minister Pawan Chamling’s cooperation and help at the initial stage. But later, top officials of the Sikkim government refused to help, since I was not a Sikkimese. I was born in Kurseong in Darjeeling and settled in Sikkim,” Pradhan alleged. He pointed fingers at the West Bengal government and the “reluctant bureaucrats,” who, according to him, assured him help in getting justice, but “did not cooperate. ”Pradhan, who also contacted the Union Human Resources Development department, has demanded adequate compensation for his traumatized daughter, start of the trial in a fast-track court, transfer of the case to Sikkim, and action against the V-C and principal of Kala Bhawan.

Source :thestatesman