Dharamsala Student Death : Court Extends Interim Bail of Teacher, Three Others

The District and Sessions Court of Kangra at Dharamsala on Saturday extended the interim bail of an assistant professor and three girl students in connection with the death of a college student, citing the police’s failure to place concrete evidence on record.

District and Sessions Judge Chirag Bhanu Singh extended the interim bail of Assistant Professor Ashok Kumar and the three co-accused till February 13.

Ashok Kumar had moved an application for anticipatory bail on January 2 after an FIR was registered at the Dharamsala police station under Sections 75, 115(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and Section 3 of the Himachal Pradesh Educational Institution (Prohibition of Ragging) Act, 2009. Subsequently, three girl students named in the FIR also approached the sessions court seeking anticipatory bail.

During the hearing, the investigating officer (IO), through the public prosecutor, informed the court that the medical board’s report to determine the exact cause of death was still awaited. The prosecution further stated that analysis of the victim’s mobile phone data, collected by forensic and cyber experts, had not yet been compiled, despite being crucial to the investigation.

Although the police submitted a partial status report, the prosecution sought more time to file a comprehensive report supported by evidence, arguing that both the medical opinion and digital evidence were essential for the case.

The partial status report also revealed that the police had sought legal opinion on invoking the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, but the advice was still awaited. It further stated that the victim’s location within Government College, Dharamsala, was traced only four times between July 28 and September 25, 2025, the period during which allegations of ragging and harassment were made.

Regarding a video allegedly recorded by the victim before her death, containing accusations of sexual harassment, the IO told the court that the video was recorded at Mahajan Hospital, Pathankot.

Expressing strong displeasure during oral arguments, the judge criticised the police for a “dilly-dallying” approach, noting that the FIR was registered on January 1 and questioning how much additional time was required to submit a concrete and complete status report.

Meanwhile, the victim’s father, Vikram Kumar, through his counsel, sought dismissal of the anticipatory bail pleas and cancellation of interim relief granted to the assistant professor. The court, however, dismissed the application as uncontested.

The case has now been listed for further hearing on February 13.

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