Post by : Raina
Al-Fahim
Authorities in Bengaluru have apprehended a 21-year-old engineering student, Jeevan Gowda, accused of raping a fellow student within a men’s restroom at a private college in South Bengaluru. This distressing incident unfolded on October 10 and has shocked the community. The survivor, a seventh-semester student at the same institution, lodged her complaint five days later, leading to the swift arrest.
The First Information Report (FIR) indicates that both the accused and victim were classmates, although Gowda had been struggling academically. On the day of the incident, the survivor met him to retrieve personal items. During lunch, he summoned her to the architecture block, where he allegedly forced a kiss. When she tried to escape, Jeevan reportedly pursued her to the sixth floor, where he dragged her into a restroom and assaulted her.
Police reports confirm that Jeevan locked the washroom door and took the survivor’s phone during the incident. Following the assault, he reportedly contacted her, inquiring, “Do you need a pill?” The attack is suspected to have occurred between 1:30 pm and 1:50 pm. With no CCTV coverage on that floor, investigators are analyzing forensic and digital evidence.
After confiding in two friends, the survivor sought her parents' help to file a report at the Hanumanthanagar police station. A reconstruction of the crime scene was carried out on Thursday to gather additional evidence, and Jeevan Gowda has been placed in judicial custody.
The grave nature of this incident has provoked significant political discourse. R Ashoka, the Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, criticized the ruling Congress government for not maintaining public safety and highlighted that Karnataka has witnessed 979 sexual assaults in the past four months, with 114 occurring in Bengaluru. Ashoka referred to the government's inaction as a “moral and administrative failure,” calling for intervention from the National Commission for Women (NCW) and immediate actions to ensure women’s safety across Karnataka.
As investigations continue, the private engineering college where this event transpired has yet to issue an official response. This alarming case emphasizes the urgent need for stricter safety protocols in schools and universities in Bengaluru and the surrounding region.
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