Chennai: The State Human Rights Commission directed commissioner, department of social welfare and Superintendent of Police to file report in connection with allegation of a woman professor facing torture at the hands of police, staff of a private dental college and others. After she lodged complaint against senior management staff, she was locked up in her room in the staff quarters for three days.
Based on a complaint from assistant professor S. Babilla, SHRC judge D. Jayachandran directed the officials to file the report in four weeks.
According to S. Babilla, she was working as an assistant professor in the Department of Medical Anatomy in Tagore Medical and Dental College and staying in staff quarters for the past two years. “Since students used to reach me in case of subject doubts and stress related counselling and to guide, senior most professor Venkatramiah started developing vengeance against me,” she said.
With help of Venkatramiah, an office staff, Lakshmi Kanthan, also started physically abusing her. She lodged a complaint about ill-treatment and harassment with the college principal and Dean. However, they have not conducted inquiry and instead they abused her for filing complaint against senior most professor and staff.
She said, “I faced mental agony from June to September 2019. The management prevented me to take food in hostel and in canteen. I was locked up inside my room without food and water for three days.”
She posted messages on social media narrating her ordeal and she was rescued with the help of few persons. After meeting Kanchipuram ASP, she lodged a complaint with Thalambur police station.
However, instead of accepting the complaint, Inspector Palani allegedly threatened her that he would file case against her. He also demanded her to withdraw the complaint against the college management.
Subsequently, inspector along with social activist Sangeetha, decided to send her to a home for mentally challenged women. Mamallapuram Inspector Vasantha took her to psychiatric rehabilitation centre, Anbagam in Manalai, where she faced hardship for two weeks. She was rescued from the centre with
the help of media persons on October 18. Later she was admitted at psychiatric ward in Chengalpattu.
In the petition, she sought action against those who harassed and abused her.
