A second-year girl student of a government college in Tiruvannamalai district on Wednesday submitted a petition to district principal judge G. Mahizhendi, complaining of sexual harassment by an associate professor.
A letter reportedly written by the girl to the dean of her college alleged that she was sexually harassed for the past seven months. She claimed that Thangapandian, an associate professor of the college, had tried to misbehave with her when she went to submit a manual.
He allegedly told her that she had a bright future, and that he was willing to help her. When he tried to make advances, she stopped him. She claimed that though she complained about the incident to Punitha, the deputy warden of her hostel, no action was taken. Instead, she was warned not to reveal anything about the incident and asked to act in accordance with the associate professor’s instructions.
Audio clip
In an audio clip reportedly released by the girl, two women wardens — Punitha and Mythili — were heard threatening her to forget about the issue to ensure that her future is not affected. Unable to bear the harassment, the girl informed her parents about the incident. She then submitted a 40-page petition to the judge on Wednesday. Following this, the judge visited the college and conducted an enquiry with the students and the staff. “We have written to the university to start a departmental enquiry and also to shift the girl to another college. The superintendent of police has also been directed to start an investigation. She narrated the torture she underwent over the last seven months,” the judge told The Hindu .
University reacts
Meanwhile, a senior official of the university to which the college is affiliated said the girl had been suspended from her hostel after complaints of theft from other students. “She was caught red-handed while trying to dispose of an expensive cell phone she had stolen from the hostel. We wanted to help the girl continue her education, and hence, allowed her to stay in the old hostel for the exam period,” he said.
The incidents and the subsequent allegations pertained to the previous academic year, he added. The second-year student had complained against the two hostel wardens and the associate professor. The associate professor has since been suspended, pending an inquiry. An inquiry has been initiated against the hostel wardens too, the official said, adding that all three of them would be transferred by next week, after the university examinations are over.
