Bhubaneswar: Principal and mathematics teacher of Swami Arupananda College in Odisha’s Jagatsinghpur district have been suspended for allegedly suppressing harassment of a minor girl in the college.
The incident dates back to January 15 this year when a Plus-II student lodged a complaint with the principal, Ramesh Chandra Sahu, alleging harassment by the Mathematics lecturer, Saswat Mohanty.
Jagatsinghpur Collector J Sonal ordered the suspension for dereliction of duty and suppressing the matter after reviewing the report, which he had sought from the principal after a complaint in this regard was lodged with him through the Jana Sunani portal. “The report revealed that the internal probe committee had found the lecturer guilty and he had apologised for the incident. The principal tried to resolve the issue through mediation and closed the case without informing the higher authorities. This was a mistake on his part since the girl was minor,” the Collector told the media.
He added that police have been tasked with investigating the incident.
The Principal’s Report
The additional district magistrate and sub-collector of Jagatsinghpur directed the principal on July 19 to provide a detailed report within three days. In his report, Sahu stated that on January 15, the minor student reported inappropriate behavior by the mathematics lecturer outside the college. She requested him not to inform her father about the matter, fearing a drastic reaction. The college formed an internal committee to investigate. During the inquiry, Mohanty admitted his mistake, submitted a written apology, and promised not to repeat the behaviour. On February 12, he was issued a show-cause notice. In a subsequent staff meeting, Mohanty apologised again, and the student accepted it. The student submitted a written application expressing satisfaction with the apology. The principal also discussed the issue with her father, who, concerned about his daughter’s dignity and future, requested the matter be closed. Following which, the principal closed the case on April 5.
However, the administration found the principal’s actions inadequate, as the case was closed based only on the minor’s statement without involving her legal guardian. Furthermore, the principal failed to report the serious allegation to the appropriate authorities, effectively suppressing it.
The incident assumes significance against the recent death of a 20-year-old female student of FM College in Balasore by self-immolation due to alleged sexual harassment by a senior faculty member and institutional neglect.
