St. Stephen's College Student Accuses Professor of Sexual Harassment

NEW DELHI: A PhD student of St Stephen’s College on Friday accused a professor of  sexual harassment and also alleged that the principal tried to protect him when the matter was reported to the college authorities.

The student, who is doing her PhD under the supervision of Satish Kumar, has lodged an FIR against Kumar alleging that she was sexually assaulted by him. Kumar is an assistant professor in the college’s Chemistry Department. “An FIR has been registered under section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code against the accused,” Deputy Commissioner of Police Madhur Verma said.

In the complaint, the victim has also alleged that the college Principal Valson Thampu had “criminally intimidated her to give a written application to him expressing her consent to close the matter in college itself in order to not cause any delay or problems in completion of her PhD”.

Thampu has, however, not been named in the FIR.

Thampu confirmed that the victim had raised the complaint with him but denied allegations of trying to protect Kumar. “The matter has been referred to the college’s internal complaint committee, which deals with such complaints and the issue is being looked into,” he said. The victim has also alleged that the accused had apologised before her parents when they came to meet him after the incident.

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