Authorities in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras are searching for Rajnish Kumar, the suspended Chief Proctor of Seth Phool Chand Bagla PG College, after serious allegations of sexual abuse and blackmail surfaced. Kumar allegedly recorded intimate acts with students and used the footage to coerce them. The scandal erupted after an anonymous letter exposed his actions, leading to a police case and his suspension.
Anonymous Letter Unveils Shocking Allegations
Almost a decade months ago, Kumar was accused in an anonymous letter of blackmailing students into sexual favors in lieu of passing grades and employment prospects. Recently, NDTV also received such a letter, where the author beseeched action, saying, “I have not signed with my own name because then this merciless professor will kill me. But what I cannot fathom is don’t the photographs I attached establish his crime?”
Pendrive with 59 Obscene Videos Recovered
The complaint letter contained a pen drive holding 59 videos of Kumar doing improper things with students. Authorities stated that the accused had also fitted hidden cameras to capture abuse and then utilized the recordings for blackmailing the victims. The complainant said that Kumar had exploited several women and hinted that other college officials were involved in his offenses.
Police Action and Investigation Challenges
After the complaint, the police registered a case against Kumar on charges of rape, sexual harassment, and abuse of power. Very soon after that, he was suspended by the college administration. Kumar is still at large, though. In a PTI report, the accused said he had been under allegations for 18 months now, but previous probes had gone nowhere.
Among the greatest challenges facing the police is that no formal complaint has been made by any survivor. Investigators added that available videos of the assault go back as far as 2023, but victims fear to come forward because they are afraid of being stigmatized and harassed even more.
Call for Justice as Outrage Grows
The case has outraged people, with most calling for severe punishment for Kumar. Activists and students have called upon authorities to ensure a proper probe and give protection to possible witnesses. Meanwhile, police keep searching for the accused as they collect further evidence in the case.