GUWAHATI: A professor of Assam Agricultural University (AAU) has been suspended by the varsity authority for allegedly sexually harassing a student seeking admission to a post-graduate programme.
An order issued on Monday by the Registrar of AAU, located in Upper Assam’s Jorhat, said: “The Vice Chancellor…is pleased to take cognizance of the report of Women’s Harassment Cell…and pending enquiry by the committee constituted…Dr Jyoti Kumar Gogoi, a professor in the Department of Agriculture Economics and Farm Management, is placed under suspension with immediate effect on the charge of misconduct”.
Dr Gogoi has been asked not to leave the headquarters without prior approval from the authority concerned during the period of his suspension.
In her complaint lodged with the chairperson of the AAU’s Women’s Harassment Cell on September 6, the student alleged that she was sexually harassed by the teacher on the pretext of showing her the availability of seats.
“When I went to Dr Jyoti Gogoi today (September 6)…regarding seat availability for third counseling in master’s degree, he tried to sexually harass me in his cabin. The actions were – first, he called me by his side to see the seats available on his desktop. Then, he held my back and touched my cheeks and suddenly, kissed me. All these happened all of a sudden that I was shocked and could not react,” she wrote in her complaint.
She requested the authority to take some strict action against the professor so that “he cannot create such nuisance in the future”.