TIRUCHY: An assistant professor in the Tamil department at the Arignar Anna Government Arts College, Musiri, was on Friday suspended following multiple complaints of misconduct and harassment on women students. The suspension came after an internal inquiry. The faculty member, T Nagarajan (45), who has been in the college for over eight years on deputation from Annamalai University, has had at least five students raise complaints, ranging from sexual harassment, threats of lowering internal marks to instances of rude behaviour, against him.
The matter came to light after an audio clip surfaced in which he was allegedly heard making inappropriate remarks to a female student. While the recording triggered outrage, college sources said it was only one of the several complaints. Principal Ganeshan said the complaints were pursued on the advice of the regional joint director of collegiate education. “An inquiry was conducted by the internal complaints committee (ICC) as well as a panel of senior faculty members. In the first stage of inquiry, the professor’s misconduct was established and action has been taken accordingly,” he said.
Nagarajan’s suspension will remain in force pending further proceedings. Sources also revealed that no police complaint has been filed either by the students or the college authorities.