IIT Madras Intern Sexually Harassed on Campus; Food Court Employee Arrested

India – June 28, 2025 – A 20-year-old woman intern at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras was allegedly sexually harassed by a food court employee on campus on Wednesday evening, June 25, 2025. Police have swiftly arrested the accused, identified as Roshan Kumar (22), a contractual staff member working at a food outlet within the IIT-M campus.

According to police and initial reports, the incident occurred around 7:30 PM on Wednesday when the woman, who is interning at IIT Madras from another institution, was walking alone on campus. She was allegedly accosted by Kumar, who reportedly approached her with a stick, pulled her hair, and sexually harassed her. The intern immediately raised an alarm, prompting campus security personnel to rush to her rescue.

IIT Madras issued a statement acknowledging the "unfortunate incident" and confirmed that the culprit was apprehended by institute security and handed over to local police. The institute reiterated its "zero tolerance policy towards sexual harassment" and its commitment to providing a safe and secure campus.

The Kotturpuram police launched an investigation following the complaint. Based on evidence gathered, including the victim's statement and potentially CCTV footage, Roshan Kumar, a native of Maharashtra, was arrested on Thursday, June 26, 2025, and subsequently remanded in judicial custody. He has been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, 1998.

On Saturday, June 28, 2025, the National Commission for Women (NCW) took suo motu cognisance of the incident. NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar wrote to the Director General of Police, Tamil Nadu, calling for a fair and time-bound investigation under the relevant provisions of BNS, 2023. The NCW has also directed authorities to ensure the survivor receives immediate medical and psychological support.

Further investigation into the incident is currently underway.