On September 22, 2023, during midnight hours, a first-year student was struck by a liquor bottle on the head, leading to multiple injuries. The student has been identified as one Vedant Gautam.
During an interview with the Edict, Mr. Gautam described the events leading up to the bottle incident.
Around 1:00-1:30 AM on September 22, Vedant sought medical attention at the university's infirmary for some back discomfort.
On his way back, around 2:30 A.M., he was hit on the top of his head by a glass bottle in the Residence Hall 3 compound, between the A-wing fire exit stairs and the glass windows at the entrance of the commons.
The way in which this event has unfolded has raised questions about the safety of students on campus.
Fortunately, he escaped with minor injuries. Reflecting on the incident, he expressed his concern about the drinking culture at the university, stating, "I feel as bad about it as I did before the incident. There was a lot of luck involved as I got away with 4 stitches.” He added, disconcertingly, “It could have easily been a life-threatening injury, but thankfully I didn't faint and could carry myself to the infirmary & get my stitches done.”
When asked about the nature of the glass bottle, Vedant mentioned that he initially had trouble recalling the incident clearly but believed it resembled a liquor bottle. Prachet Sinha, a second year student who was near RH-3 when the accident occurred, confirmed that “It was definitely a liquor bottle.”
A few sources who wish to stay anonymous revealed the identity of the accused student to The Edict. It is alleged that the bottle fell from the room in his presence. His name will not be disclosed in this report as we couldn’t receive any official confirmation regarding an inquiry against him.
The accused was later taken away by the RH-3 warden approximately six days after the incident, indicating potential disciplinary actions. A source from The Edict who wishes to stay anonymous, witnessed this and confirmed the incident. They said, “The warden came, collected him and got the room locked.” When asked about the disciplinary actions the convict could potentially face, Mr. Gautam said, “I don’t necessarily want the student to be expelled.”
Prachet Sinha also informed The Edict that the university administration has set up a Fact Finding Committee to investigate the incident. He also confirmed that a student representative from the SG is a part of the committee. Mr. Gautam verified this information. He mentioned that his mother learned about the committee's formation when she contacted the university to inquire about the incident a few days later.
We tried to reach out to various authorities including the RH-3 Warden, Resident Assistants from RH-3, a Committee Against Disciplinary Infractions (CADI) representative & Student Government (SG) members to piece together the circumstances under which the liquor bottle fell. The RH-3 Warden, RH-3 RA’s and SG members have declined to comment while we are yet to hear from the CADI representative.
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