By Sandeep Verma and Ananya Sharma 
Dharamsala, January 3: Until a few weeks ago, Pallavi was just another college student trying to get through her second year. Today, her name is at the centre of a case that has left an entire state disturbed and angry. The 19-year-old died on December 26, 2025, after months of illness that her family says began only after she was ragged, assaulted, and sexually harassed inside her own college.
What makes the case even more unsettling is that the alleged abuse did not come from strangers. According to police records, it involved three fellow students and a college professor at Government Degree College. An FIR was registered only on December 31, after Pallavi’s father Vikram Kumar gathered the strength to approach the police, days after cremating his daughter.
“She Was Never The Same After That Day”
According to the complaint, everything changed on September 18, 2025. Pallavi allegedly faced brutal ragging and physical assault by three senior students named Harshita, Aakriti, and Komolika. Her father has told police that she was threatened and warned to keep quiet.
But the allegations do not stop there. The FIR also names Professor Ashok Kumar, accusing him of sexually inappropriate behaviour and humiliating conduct. For a young student, the complaint says, this was devastating.
Family members say Pallavi came home shaken and withdrawn. She stopped talking freely. She avoided eye contact. She barely ate. “She used to get scared even when someone raised their voice,” a relative reportedly told investigators, as cited by The Tribune.
A video recorded when Pallavi was critically ill later surfaced online. In it, she speaks haltingly about the sexual harassment, humiliation, and mental torture she faced. Reports have also mentioned caste-based abuse, an angle police say they are still verifying.
From Trauma To Hospital Beds
Doctors and family members agree on one thing. Pallavi’s health collapse was sudden. Before September, she had no major medical history. After that, her condition kept slipping.
She was taken to different hospitals across Himachal Pradesh as her mental stress began showing physical symptoms. When treatment locally failed, the family moved her to Dayanand Medical College and Hospital.
For weeks, she remained under care. Sometimes she was unresponsive. Sometimes she would speak about the college. According to media reports, doctors focused on stabilising her, but her condition continued to worsen.
On December 26, Pallavi died.
Her father has said the family could not even think about filing a police complaint earlier. “She was fighting for her life,” he reportedly told the police. “Our only focus was saving her.”
FIR After Death, Not Before
It was only after Pallavi’s death that the family approached the police. The FIR names four accused and includes charges related to ragging, sexual harassment, criminal intimidation, and assault.
Police officials have said they are now working backwards, reconstructing Pallavi’s last three months. They are examining:
- Medical records from all hospitals
- Statements from classmates, teachers, and family
- The viral video and phone data
- College attendance and academic records
A senior officer told The Indian Express that investigators are trying to establish whether sustained harassment can be directly linked to her medical decline and death. That finding, he said, will decide the next legal steps.
College Says No Complaint Was Made
The administration of Government Degree College, Dharamsala, has denied receiving any complaint from Pallavi while she was alive. Principal Deepak Pathania has said the college has a zero-tolerance policy on ragging and that students are encouraged to approach internal committees.
That statement has not gone down well with many. Students and activists argue that when harassment involves seniors or teachers, victims often stay silent out of fear. “Who will complain when your marks, attendance, and reputation are at stake?” one student activist posted online.
The police are now looking into whether Pallavi showed visible signs of distress that should have raised alarms within the institution.
Anger That Refuses To Die Down
The case has sparked public outrage, both online and on the ground. Many have asked why action came only after a young woman died. Others have demanded immediate arrests and suspension of the accused.
As it turns out, Pallavi’s death has reopened an old truth. Anti-ragging laws exist, but enforcement often fails where silence is easier than confrontation.
More Than One Girl’s Story
This case is no longer just about Pallavi. It has become a mirror to the reality many students quietly endure. Legal experts say if investigators prove that prolonged mental and physical harassment contributed to her death, it could change how such cases are handled in the future.
For Pallavi’s family, however, legal outcomes come second. What they want is accountability. They want answers to why their daughter felt so trapped, and why help came too late.
For now, the investigation continues. Dharamsala goes about its daily life, but the questions raised by Pallavi’s death linger heavily in the air.
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- Sandeep Vermahttps://hindustanherald.in/authors/sandeep/
- Sandeep Vermahttps://hindustanherald.in/authors/sandeep/
- Sandeep Vermahttps://hindustanherald.in/authors/sandeep/
- Sandeep Vermahttps://hindustanherald.in/authors/sandeep/
Covers Indian politics, governance, and policy developments with over a decade of experience in political reporting.
- Ananya Sharmahttps://hindustanherald.in/authors/ananya/
- Ananya Sharmahttps://hindustanherald.in/authors/ananya/
- Ananya Sharmahttps://hindustanherald.in/authors/ananya/
- Ananya Sharmahttps://hindustanherald.in/authors/ananya/
Ananya Sharma