Assam varsity Assistant Professor suspended over 'sexual harassment' allegations

Guwahati, May 7 (IANS) After a series of agitations, an Assistant Professor of the Assam University, a central varsity, was suspended on Wednesday on charges of sexual harassment, officials said.

Assam University Registrar, Pradosh Kiran Nath, in an order said that Ajit Kumar Jena who is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Social Work, was suspended for 90 days with immediate effect.

The Registrar in his order said that complaints of sexual harassment have been received from some of the students of the Department of Social Work against Jena and there was a report on the matter from the head of the department as well.

“Based on the complaints and reports, a detailed enquiry into the matter has been initiated. Pending the enquiry, Jena was asked to proceed on leave on May 5 by applying for the appropriate kind of leave and this was communicated to him by e-mail on the same day,” the order said.

Jena was also informed that an FIR was filed with the police on the matter against him.

Accordingly, he was asked to cooperate with the cops and report to the police immediately.

In his order, Nath said that it was observed that Jena neither applied for leave nor did he report to the police.

“Considering Jena's non-compliance with the instructions of the university, the competent authority of the university, in exercise of the powers conferred upon it by rules, acts and Statutes of the University, hereby placed Jena under suspension for a period of 90 days with immediate effect,” the order stated.

The order also asked Jena not to leave the headquarters or enter the university campus without obtaining prior permission of the competent authority.

Earlier, demanding Jena’s dismissal from service and his arrest, students organised demonstrations and hunger strikes on the campus.

Three girl students also filed sexual harassment cases with the police against Jena.

The students alleged that Jena threatened not to give them appropriate marks and shared inappropriate WhatsApp messages with other students.

Earlier, too, a few teachers of Assam University, situated in southern Assam’s Silchar area, were suspended on sexual harassment allegations.

--IANS

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