The Odisha police on Monday arrested the suspended principal of a leading government college in Balasore, where a student set herself on fire over alleged sexual harassment by a professor. The woman, who sustained over 90% burn injuries, is “extremely critical”, doctors say.
Police officials said the suspended principal has been arrested on charges of abetment to suicide. The state government had on Saturday suspended him for “failing to perform his duties in the capacity of principal”.
The accused assistant professor was arrested on Saturday under charges of abetment of suicide, criminal intimidation, sexual harassment, stalking and insulting the modesty of a woman.
The woman had set herself on fire moments after she met the principal on Saturday over her complaint against the accused professor.
As reported by The Indian Express, the woman had written to the institute authorities that she was under mental stress and could take an extreme step. After writing to the authorities, the student had also approached the police, which in turn had asked the institute for a response.
The student, in her complaint on July 1, alleged that she was subjected to mental harassment by the accused, who also threatened to fail her in some subjects and make her repeat a year, it is learnt. She is learnt to have alleged that he had been harassing her ever since she refused his demand for sexual favours.
On Sunday, the woman’s father had alleged that the principal, instead of taking action against the accused professor, pressured her to withdraw her complaint.
Story continues below this ad
A higher education official also confirmed that the woman had written to the institute authorities.
AIIMS, Bhubaneswar superintendent Dilip Kumar Parida, meanwhile, said there has been no improvement in her condition even as an expert team has been monitoring the situation round the clock. The CM had visited the hospital on Sunday.
