Hubballi: Principal of Karnataka Lingayat Education Society’s BBA College, Mr Anand Vaddin, who was assaulted by students recently alleging sexual harassment, claimed on Saturday that the students attacked him as he had warned them that he would file a complaint with their parents against their misbehaviour during an industrial tour to Goa recently. Mr Vaddin, who has been released on bail, alleged that some external elements joined the students in attacking him and damaging his car. “I and two other faculty members were injured in the incident,” he said. He said that all the 49 students, including 13 girl students, were disobedient all throughout the tour. “They misbehaved with the faculty members after consuming alcohol. Even girl students failed to turn up for a meeting convened by him at Kallangud Palm Resorts to discuss the guidelines to be followed during the tour. I had sent the students to Goa for three days to visit Nestle factory. But two faculty members, who had accompanied them, complained to me about the students’ misconduct and their pranks under the influence of alcohol. I rushed to Goa the next day along with my wife. I was angry with the students’ behaviour and warned them that I would file a complaint with their parents. That is what prompted them to take revenge against me,” Mr Vaddin claimed. Denying charges of sexual abuse on girls students, he said that some vested interests were involved in the attack as there were merely 13-15 students among nearly 200 people who assaulted him on September 8. He said that the students attacked the bus driver for sticking to the college guidelines during the Goa tour. He also said that the students attacked two other local residents at the beach. “One of the faculty members, Sherli, who had accompanied the students, also told me about the students’ misconduct.” The KLE Society has suspended the principal, Sherli and Gopal Biradar who had accompanied the students in the tour.
