Tirupati, Dec 11, 2025 — Two assistant professors from the National Sanskrit University have been arrested on charges of sexually assaulting a 22-year-old woman student from Odisha, police officials said on Wednesday.

The accused, identified as Dr. Laxman Kumar and Dr. A Shekhar Reddy, both from the university’s Department of Education, allegedly targeted the student who enrolled in the B.Ed program in June this year.

According to Tirupati (East) Deputy Superintendent of Police M Bhaktavatsalam, Dr. Laxman Kumar allegedly exploited his official position to lure the student and then sexually assaulted her inside his office. Dr. Shekhar Reddy reportedly recorded the incident secretly through the office window and later used the photos and videos to intimidate the student, threatening to circulate them on social media.

Police confirmed that following the complaint, the university constituted an internal inquiry committee and suspended Dr. Laxman Kumar pending investigation. A formal case was subsequently registered by Tirupati (West) police under multiple provisions, including:

• Section 75(1) (sexual harassment)
• Section 77 (voyeurism and capturing images without consent)
• Section 79 (acts intended to insult the modesty of a woman)
• Read with Section 3(5) of BNS

Investigating teams visited the survivor’s native place in Odisha to record her statement, with the investigation being supervised by the Deputy Superintendent of Police. Police said further inquiries are ongoing.

This incident has raised concerns about the safety of students in higher education institutions, prompting calls for strict action against sexual misconduct by faculty.