A protest was staged outside the Delhi Police headquarters Thursday demanding justice for a Delhi University laboratory assistant who committed suicide by setting herself on fire last month.
Pavitra Bharadwaj, 40, a former lab assistant at Ambedkar College, set herself ablaze Sep 30 outside the office of the Delhi chief minister. She died Monday of burn injuries.
Bharadwaj had alleged that the principal of the college, V.K. Arora, had sexually harassed her. The principal denied the charges.
Members from Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA), Delhi University and College Karamchari Union (DUCKU) and activists and members of Aam Aadami Party (AAP) slammed Delhi Police for not taking action against the accused.
"We want justice for Pavitra," AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said.
"In the normal course of law, does an investigation take place on the basis of a suicide or not? They should have registered an FIR and arrested the principal, but nothing has happened," Kejriwal said.
Kejriwal said the college principal was "highly connected and will be able to influence the investigation". He demanded an independent inquiry into the suicide and the allegations against the principal.
Social activist Kavita Krishnan said this was not an isolated case, and demanded that the principal be arrested.
"It is not an isolated case. There is a long list... police is trying to dilute the case," Krishnan said.
The Delhi government Wednesday commissioned a judicial inquiry in the case.
