Hyderabad: Four lab technicians of Gandhi Hospital were arrested by the Chilkalguda police for allegedly sexually harassing the trainees at the lab. The technicians were identified as Mohd Akram, 47, Thambi Anthony Sebastian, 53, Jannu Madhu Babu, 30, and Mandalam Durga Das, 36. According to the victims, the accused sexually harassed them by touching them inappropriately and stalked them despite being asked not to several times.
The trainees who were deputed to the lab had submitted a representation to the Gandhi Hospital superintendent Dr Shravan Kumar, in August, levelling allegations of sexual harassment against the four technicians. “Based on that, an inquiry committee was constituted with professors and heads of department of the hospital to investigate further,” said North Zone DCP B. Sumathi.
“A report was submitted by the committee in September that confirmed the sexual harassment by the technicians”, Ms. Sumathi added. On Thursday, one the trainees registered a case at the Chilkalguda police station under the relevant sections of the IPC.
“During the course of the investigation, the police examined 14 witnesses and established a prima facie case against the four employees and arrested them all on Friday”, Ms Sumathi said, adding that they would be produced before the court for judicial remand. She said, “Society has to come forward to support such victims of workplace harassment. They should be bold enough to come forward and report the issue to the authorities and can be assured that their names and identities will not be publicised.”
