VARANASI: A former MLA was thrashed by the family members of a girl student of his college in the premises for allegedly sexually assaulting her. A video of the thrashing went viral on social media on Sunday.
Former MLA Mayashankar Pathak, who is chairman of a college run by the MP Group in Bhagatua area under Chaubeypur police station, was sitting in his office on Saturday when around 10 family members of a girl student of Class IX stormed into his office. One of them started making a video while two middleaged persons started seeking explanation from Pathak and scolding him for sexual harassment of the girl. In the meantime, some youths started thrashing Pathak.
Pathak, who could be seen apologizing, was later dragged out of the office into the open where he was again thrashed in front of the female staff of the college and girl students. The video of the incident was posted on social media and went viral on Sunday morning. Pathak had won Chiraigaon assembly seat in 1991 and 1993 on Bharatiya Janata Party ticket.
None of the groups lodged any complaint with police, but taking note of the viral video, DIG Amit Pathak ordered CO Pindra Abhishek Kumar Pandey to probe the incident and initiate appropriate action.
Pathak, who is seen tendering apology in the video, later said that false allegations are being levelled against him by his political rivals to dent his image.
“When police contacted the former MLA, he refused to lodge any complaint in this connection. The family of girl also had not decided to lodge a complaint so far,” said DIG Amit Pathak.
No complaint was lodged at Chaubeypur police station in this connection till Sunday evening. Later, Pathak released a video statement claiming that he was being targeted by some people due to political rivalry and caste enmity.
Pathak claimed, “A week ago a class-IX girl student had come to his office after preparing her speech for Republic Day. As she could not speak properly, I said she would not give speech and asked her to go from my office. After this incident, about 10-15 people raided my office. I said if pointing mistake of the student is wring then I am expressing my apology.” He said he was not aware that a video of the incident was being made.