MADURAI: A lady professor who was heading the department of Journalism and Science Communication in the Madurai Kamaraj University was stabbed inside her office at Palkalai Nagar in broad daylight on Tuesday by a former part time lecturer of the department who lost his job recently.
Jothi Murugan (33) from Kulamangalam in Madrai, who was also pursuing part time PhD in Film and Electronic Media studies in the university, confronted the professor S Jenefa ( 40) in her office around 10.30 am and entered into a heated argument with her and then started stabbing her. As the professor ran out of the room, the assailant chased her and stabbed her on the back when she tripped and fell.
The MKU vice-chancellor Dr P P Chellathurai who immediately arranged to admit the professor at Vadamalayan hospital, after she was provided first aide in a primary health centre near there, told DC she sustained around 20 stab injuries, but was out of danger. “A doctors team have stitched the wounded places and are closely monitoring the progress of her health,” said the VC.
The students, who found the professor gasping for breath, came to her rescue and also caught hold of the assailant and handed him over him to the police.
Jothi Murugan was removed from the part-time job after students complained to Jenefa that he was not teaching them properly. The decision was arrived at in a departmental meeting, but he misconstrued that the professor was behind this decision, said Dr Chellathurai. Jothi Murugan had completed his masters in communication and M. Phil. from the same university.
During last week, the faculty members of Journalism department recruited two guest lecturers after conducting an interview. When Jothi Murugan learned about this, he developed a grudge against Ms. Jenefa.
Jothi Murugan
Jothi Murugan had got married recently claiming he had a permanent teaching position in the university, said a police source, adding, he started facing problem from his in-laws after they learned his current situation. He had been troubling Ms. Jenefa for the last few days demanding her to provide a job, said the VC.
The police seized a small knife from Jothi Murugan and booked him under 307 (attempt to murder case).
Meanwhile, Dr Chellathurai directed the Film and Electronic Media studies department to discontinue his Ph.D. programme. “We could have avoided this incident if the faculty members had informed me about this issue in advance,” said the VC adding that he would soon send a circular to all the department heads to immediately alert him if they sensed any trouble in handing such problems.
Dr Chellathurai said that within a week's time, he would improve the security system in the university campus on the lines of IIT-Madras. Sudents and faculty members visited the professor at the hospital and gave moral support to her family members.
