India, May 3 -- A major controversy has erupted at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar after a first-year PhD scholar accused a faculty member of physical assault, harassment and sustained intimidation, raising serious concerns about campus safety and institutional accountability.

In a detailed account shared on social media, the scholar alleged that her supervisor, an assistant professor, physically assaulted her-claiming he punched her in the eye after she refused to comply with what she described as inappropriate demands. She further alleged that the professor pressured her to accompany him on a research trip to Japan and threatened to expel her from the doctoral programme when she declined.

The student also accused the fa...