Tiruvannamalai: Agriculture student accuses professor of sexual harassment
Tiruvannamalai: A district judge here on Wednesday initiated action on a complaint from a 22-year-old student of government agriculture college at Vazhavachanur accusing an assistant professor of sexually harassing her. She also complained that two women professors had pressured her to ‘cooperate’ with him and that she was threatened of dire consequences if she did not relent.
“It is anguishing that the assistant professor has behaved in such a despicable manner. It has come to light that two women professors tried to help him. It appears there are still many more Nirmala Devis operating in the colleges across Tamil Nadu. Parents are drowned in sea of anguish after sending their daughters to colleges”, Principal District Judge G Mahizhenthi told reporters after recording the statement from the victim student.
The judge said the university has been directed to transfer the student to another agricultural college as desired by her and the police told to initiate 'tough' legal action in the matter.
Prinicipal District judge G Mahizhenthi talks to media. (Photo:DC)
The student, studying in second year B.Sc (agriculture) at the ‘Agricultural College and Research Institute’ at Vazhavachanur, told the court that she had scored 95 per cent in her plus-two exam and got the seat on merit.
She was staying in the colleges hostel and was subjected to repeated harassment by the assistant professor, who would even visit the hostel during the night time to try compel her to yield to his desires since last December.
She had resisted his advances and approached two women professors for help. To her shock, she found that the two women professors asked her to cooperate with the man and even threatened her she might face problems otherwise. Her complaint to the college principal also yielded no result; on the other hand, she was asked to vacate the hostel after a 'fake' enquiry by the administration, she told the court.
Taking serious view of the student’s complaint and after holding preliminary probe into the matter, Judge Mahizhenthi along district additional judge Sumathi Saipriya passed orders directing that the girl be transferred to another college and that the police should take tough action on her complaint.
Sadly, the girl was also subjected to harassment even from her classmates and others in the college as a mass protest was orchestrated against her, allegedly at the behest of the administration seeking to shield the accused assistant professor.
With the girl complaining to the district court and also seeking help from the Left parties and All-India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), she got the relief she deserved. Also, the local villages demonstrated in her support outside the college.
It may be recalled that assistant professor Nirmala Devi of Devanga Arts College in Aruppukottai is facing criminal action following allegation that she had tried to lure girl students to provide sexual favours for higher officials in the Madurai Kamarajar University and the state higher education department. She is still in jail. PTI reports: A senior district police official said: “We have done a preliminary investigation and inspected the college and hostel premises. A further probe is on and appropriate legal action is being taken.”
