IIT Kanpur student raped inside campus by her 'Facebook friend'

A female student studying in IIT Kanpur was allegedly raped by her 'Facebook friend' inside women's hostel in the campus. The accused is an employee of the Indian Air Force currently posted in Coimbatore.

The girl student from Rajasthan, pursuing Integrated Masters Course, got in touch with Sheetanshu, an Indian Air Force employee and a resident of Barka Sonpur in Bihar, over Facebook about eight months ago. Soon they fell in love and both their families agreed to their marriage.

According to an FIR lodged at the Kalyanpur Police Station, the girl student alleged that Sheetanshu came to her hostel in the campus on January 6 to celebrate her birthday. He administered some intoxicants into her food and when she fell unconscious, he raped her and fled.

SSP Kanpur Akhilesh Kumar said that families of both the girl and the Air Force employee knew about their love affair and had agreed to their marriage. “It seems that the girl has lodged the FIR after the boy refused to marry her over some issue. We have informed the Bihar Police and the Air Force authorities in Coimbatore to detain the boy,” said the SSP.

The Kalyanpur Police is baffled how a man entered the room of a girl student in high-security IIT Kanpur campus. It has also come to the notice of the police that the Air Force employee had visited her hostel in the past too.

“We have lodged a case against five persons, including the main accused Sheetanshu and sent a team to Coimbatore to detain him. We are seeking details from the IIT Kanpur administration and their parents have also been called. The girl will be sent for the medical examination after completing the legal formalities,” said SP West Dr Gaurav Grover.

The IIT Kanpur management is tightlipped over the female student’s rape allegation since Director Prof Manindra Agarwal is out of the town. IIT Kanpur was in news last year for suicide of a student and rustication of students over ragging charges.