Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, May 3: At least four students of the College of Basic Science and Humanities under the Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology (OUAT) Sunday lodged a complaint with Bhubaneswar DCP Satyabrata Bhoi alleging that an assistant professor in the chemistry department of their college had sexually harassed them.
The students were accompanied by the college’s director, Vikas Chandra Panda, student union president Shashikant Parida, and general secretary Mir Asraf Ali.The students went to meet Bhoi to lodge a complaint against the professor, Pradeep Jena, for his misconduct, Ali said.
“The DCP was not present when we went to meet him. We were addressed by another top official and we lodged a complaint against Jena,” Mir said.OUAT Prof Manoranjan Kar had reportedly set up the committee after allegations of sexual assault were leveled by seven students against Jena April 8. However, the committee, comprising professors of the institution, that was set up to probe the charges leveled against Jena, was not able to establish sexual harassment.
Jena was asked to go on leave till the committee came up with its report.Meanwhile, the students of the college have claimed that since the assistant professor went on leave, all attempts to contact him went in vain.
