Photos of the protest shared by the students on social media. (Photo: Twitter/anushreearun13)

Students of SRM University in Chennai's Kattankulathur area staged a demonstration inside the campus Thursday night after a cleaning staff masturbated in front of a student in a lift at a girl's hostel.

The university says the culprit ran away from the campus after the uproar. A university official told India Today that efforts are on to trace him. Terming the incident as unfortunate, the university spokesperson said the administration was reviewing security and taking steps to ensure this is not repeated. The accused will get appropriate punishment, he said. Students, however, are angry and not convinced.

According to a third-year software engineering student who took part in the protest, a second-year undergraduate student of the university was allegedly sexually harassed by a man working as sanitation worker inside a women's hostel lift on Thursday afternoon around 3 pm.

"The man masturbated in front of the woman student in the hostel lift, following which she reported the issue to the authorities," the student told PTI.

This happened in broad daylight in #SRM today. The office of the Director of Student Affairs is a fucking joke. pic.twitter.com/MOpuFsthbI

raggabomb (@BigBongTragedy) November 22, 2018

According to another protester, the hostel warden, with whom the student had raised the issue, allegedly delayed access to the CCTV footage of the elevator and the registering of a complaint by over two hours.

Students have alleged that the director of the university has maintained that such "things happen to girls because they are north Indians who dress dirty, and smoke and drink".

"The employee was identified by the student in the CCTV footage. However she was asked to stay mum about the incident by the authorities," the protester said, adding that the hostel authorities allegedly blamed the victim.

Guys, share this as much as you can. #Srm pic.twitter.com/qm7SHOgULB Karan Shukla (@1998Karan02) November 22, 2018

The students of the university have taken to both the streets as well as social media to express their anger at the inaction on the part of the university administration. Videos of large groups of students breaking through barricades, demanding justice are flooding the Twitterverse.

This is what is happening in SRM University,Chennai.

Where are we safe afterall?

This is the safety status in the hostel premises?

Can a girl be molested inside a hostel?

I'm appalled!@PMOIndia @SushmaSwaraj @PrakashJavdekar @ndtv @sudhirchaudhary @CMOTamilNadu @ZeeNews pic.twitter.com/dedxKwTat1 sanidhya mandowara (@sanidhya98260) November 22, 2018

Protest in girls hostel at 21.55. 22-11-2018. Srm M-block girls hostel. Srm University kattankulathur pic.twitter.com/sMNOeaK1Q7 I_revolt (@revolt_16) November 22, 2018

BREAKING:2nd Year Girl Sexually Abused By A Worker Inside Hostel Elevator In SRM University.Students Protest As College Is Trying To Suppress The Matter To Save Its Image. Warden Allegedly Blamed The Girl For Wearing Short Clothes. #Chennai #SRMUniversitypic.twitter.com/gZagApYIfG Sir Jadeja (@SirJadeja) November 22, 2018

SRM University Vice-Chancellor Sandeep Sancheti, however, denied the allegations of inaction and said the administration would look into the complaint.

"Students are discussing with us. Whatever the matter is, it will be taken care of. If there is a matter, it will be inquired," Sancheti told news agency PTI.

#update



Development in the injustice done to the srm girl. VC(vice Chancellor) of #srmktr looking into the matter seriously. pic.twitter.com/KYYhBpyidl

I_revolt (@revolt_16) November 22, 2018

Local police officials who reached the protest spot told PTI that the protesters dispersed after assurances from the university administration to look into the matter.

However, they added that no complaint had been registered yet.

(with inputs from PTI)

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