A first-year female law student has alleged that she was physically assaulted by a female classmate inside her college classroom in Sri Vijaya Puram on Wednesday, prompting renewed concerns over student safety and campus conflict redressal mechanisms in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The 19-year-old student, Vaishnavi Naidu, in a written statement, alleged that the incident took place on February 26 during a short break between lectures. According to her account, a female classmate approached her shortly after the second lecture and began pushing her by the shoulder.
Vaishnavi stated that she objected to being touched and asked the classmate to maintain distance. The situation, she alleged, escalated rapidly thereafter.
In her statement, she claimed that the classmate grabbed her by the hair, forced her head down onto a desk and struck her twice. She further alleged that when she attempted to push her away in self-defence, the classmate twisted her left hand, leading to a physical scuffle in the classroom. The altercation reportedly continued until teachers intervened and separated the two female students.
Following the incident, the college Principal is said to have taken the other student and her elder sister into a separate room. Vaishnavi contacted her mother to inform her about the alleged assault, after which her mother, Pratibha Devi, reached the campus.
According to the complaint, the situation caused severe distress to the student’s mother, who allegedly suffered a panic attack at the premises. Both were subsequently taken by ambulance to GB Pant Hospital for medical attention.
Hospital records, as cited in the statement, indicate that Vaishnavi sustained an injury to her lower lip and complained of pain in her left wrist and head. She was admitted for observation and treatment.
The student has sought appropriate action against the female classmate she has accused of assault, citing physical injuries and mental trauma. It remains unclear whether a formal police complaint has been lodged or whether the matter is currently being handled internally by the institution.
As of the time of publication, there has been no official statement from the college administration explaining the circumstances leading to the altercation or detailing the steps taken in response. It is also not known whether an internal inquiry committee has been constituted.
The incident has once again drawn attention to safety protocols within higher educational institutions in the islands, including the effectiveness of grievance redressal systems, availability of counselling services and mechanisms to prevent and address on-campus conflicts.
With the student now seeking formal action, focus will shift to how the college authorities and, if approached, law enforcement agencies respond in the coming days. For many students and parents, the episode underscores the need for educational spaces in the islands to remain safe, supervised and conducive to learning.
