Mumbai hostel warden booked for asking student to strip

The Mumbai Police have registered an FIR against the warden of a women’s hostel of SNDT University on Sunday for allegedly asking a student to strip to prove that she had a skin infection.

The 19-year-old complainant from Jammu and Kashmir, a third year BTech student in her complaint with the police said as quoted by the Times of India, "Due to the skin infection, the doctor advised me to wear a sleeveless top and shawl. In the afternoon, after lunch, when I was walking to my hostel room, warden Rachana Jhaveri called me and asked me why I was wearing sleeveless. When I told her about the infection, she said students make such excuses... She forcibly took me to another room, made me strip and left."

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The police filed a case under section 354 (outraging the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code against Rachana Jhaveri. She was issued summons to come to the court on Monday morning. The police said that she was not arrested on Sunday as per rules that women offenders can’t be taken into custody after sunset.

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One student tweeted to HRD ministry Prakash Javadekar: "SNDT Women University Hostel Juhu Campus Mumbai suffers mental harassment at the hands of hostel warden. Today she pushed a girl and provoked her to take her clothes off and strip and told her to prove her skin infection. We demand justice."

The university authorities have said that they will look into the matter and form “an appropriate committee” to act against Rachna Jhaveri.