Details of rampant drug abuse and sex scandal have arisen from a state run university in Tamil Nadu. Named after a rabid anti-Brahmin Dravidian ideologue, the institution has hogged the limelight after rumours of drug abuse and group sex have come out.

Reports about drug addiction and illicit sexual activities among the students of Bharathidasan University in Trichy recently came to light when BJP spokesperson Narayan Tirupathi tweeted about it. DMK leaning portals such as One India Tamil and Dinakaran reported it first saying, foreign, NRI and other state students studying in the university are pushing native students into drug addiction and illicit sex.

The reports alleged that the sprawling campus helps such students to hide in plain sight when they are involved in such illicit activities. It is alleged that drug abuse had been rampant for almost a decade in the campus and negligence of concerned authorities has taken it to the next step. Now students have started consuming drugs as a group and introducing it to gullible new comers as well. As if that’s not enough, they have started using the addicted students for group sex as well.

The articles say that drug addicts bribe the watchmen to leave the campus in night and book rooms in nearby hotels to get high and perform group sex. They start by going out for dinner in the initial days. Then party in hotel rooms and introduce drugs to new boys and girls in small amounts. Once the newcomers get addicted, old timers groom them for sex. The news reports say that in case some girls are uncooperative, they are given large amounts of drug to make them intoxicated and vulnerable to have their (sex addicts) way with them.

It is alleged that even though the issue came out at some instances, it was suppressed by bribing relevant authorities and other means. It is unsurprising considering the concerned university, though a state institution, is dominated by Dravidianists. It offers many studies on Ev Ramasamy aka Periyar who encouraged promiscuity. Dravidian organisations have been distributing his books and espousing his thoughts even to school girls.

As drug addiction has become a social malady in the state, BJP has taken up the issue and sought the DMK government to curb drug peddling. A few days ago another state run, Dravidian dominated institution, Periyar EVR Government Arts College in Trichy was in news for similar issues. The Head of the English Department faced sexual abuse charges against scores of girl students. He reportedly accessed address, phone number and other personal details of newly enrolled girl students and targeted the economically downtrodden ones to satisfy his sexual needs.

His latest victim is an MPhil candidate who has been sexually exploited by him since she joined as a MA student before 3 years. The professor reportedly calls students to his house saying he’ll help them with their studies and projects. He allegedly drugs them by mixing alcohol or sleeping pill in fresh juice and rapes them when they are unconscious. Most of his victims didn’t come out fearing social ostracism. His wife left him unable to live with such a sex depraved monster. 

It became an advantage and he started bringing girls to the house without any obstacles. The latest victim was sexually abused by him since she was a first year student of MA and became pregnant thrice. He exploited her continuously on the promise of marriage but when she became pregnant he forced her to abort the child. Her body couldn’t withstand 3 abortions and she became frail and withdrawn. The abuse came to light only when her concerned friends inquired about it.

Despite multiple complaints no action was taken against him and a victim had to write to the CM’s special cell in the end. He continued to occupy the post even after an inquiry committee confirmed the accusations and sent a report to the Directorate of College Education(DEC). As a result, fellow professors who were also in the know about his atrocities, threatened to resign en masse if he isn’t removed from the college. 

Principal, while admitting that the victim’s charges are true, alleged that even she faced threats from the professor. She said that the professor is using the name of an influential leader of a political party to threaten her. She further said that the report has been sent to the DEC and taking action against him is in the latter’s hands. The professor has been serving as HoD in the same institution for more than 10 years. It is mind-boggling to even imagine how many lives he would have destroyed. The institution was founded by EV Ramasamy aka Periyar and established on a 20 acre property donated by and hence named after him. No wonder its staff are following his teachings.

One should remember how top echelons of Dravidar Kazhagam and other Periyarist organisations were accused of sexual exploitation of young women in the name of sexual freedom. Periyarist women who were part of a group where married women were encouraged to have illicit affairs with Periyarists came out against the exploitation. Yet instead of an investigation into the accusations, the whistle blowers are victim shamed. This should show in which way the drug abuse and sex scandal issue in Dravidian institutions would go.