Ten Mumbai St Xavier’s College students allege sexual harassment by guest speaker

Ten students from Mumbai's St Xavier's College have lodged complaints with the institution’s Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), alleging sexual harassment by a guest speaker invited for a national seminar earlier this week, according to a TOI report. The speaker, who had been staying on campus, allegedly clicked photographs of female students without consent and reportedly brushed past them inappropriately. While an FIR has not yet been filed, Azad Maidan police have been informed.

The college asked the speaker to leave the campus on the same day, a day before he was scheduled to deliver his session, and notified his parent university about the allegations. The ICC will now conduct a detailed investigation, and the college has decided to tighten background checks for future guest speakers.

Principal Karuna Gokarn said the incident occurred on Monday. “Following a preliminary inquiry, the guest speaker was asked to leave that same day. The college follows a zero-tolerance policy toward sexual harassment. We stand firmly with our students and their safety is our highest priority. We have informed his university as well. The students submitted a written complaint to the ICC on Friday, and a thorough investigation will follow. The report will be sent to his parent university as well,” she said, adding that the institution will fully cooperate with the police.


(With inputs from TOI)