Hyderabad: The anti sexual harassment committee of the English and Foreign Language University (EFLU) met on January 24 to decide the course of action to be initiated against assistant professor Dr Ranjith Thankappan who has been accused of sexually harassing a student. The Osmania University police has booked a case against the professor following a complaint filed by the student.
The professor and the student were in a live-in relationship that reportedly turned sour when the professor, who had promised to marry the student, changed his mind. The student filed a complaint of sexual and physical harassment against the professor. Osmania University police booked a case under Section 420 (cheating), 376 (charges of rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC.
Dr Thankappan told this newspaper that the charges against him are false. Narrating his side of the story, he said, “Ours was a mutual, consensual relationship and she wanted me to immigrate to Europe with her. She studies in a different department and never was my student. I noticed a few behavioural issues and she has also made suicidal threats. She had also threatened to kill me.”
Asked why he did not inform the student’s family, or the University or the police if the woman had threatened to kill or harass him, he said, “I have shared about her behaviour with my colleagues in the University, neighbours and house owner are witnesses. I had informed her immediate family.”
Regarding the charge that he was absconding, the professor said, “It was only due to her behaviour that I had to leave the place and undergo treatment at a different place. I had applied for leave and left for my home after informing her. I will be joining back and will fight the case. All the allegations are aimed at defaming me in public.”
Prof Thankappan’s former wife clarified that she has no connection with him, but she did know about his mutual relationship.
She told Deccan Chronicle, “I was married to Dr Ranjith Thankappan for 16 years. We divorced mutually as both of us wanted to pursue our own lives. But, as the divorce process was going on, I received calls from Ranjith with his girlfriend abusing me. I have also received abusive messages which bothered me. But I was concerned about a young woman’s life and I had no intention of pursuing it in any way.”
