BHUBANESWAR: Higher Education minister Suryabanshi Suraj informed the Assembly on Friday that 19 complaints of harassment of girl students have been reported in various colleges and universities across the state since June last year.
In a written reply to a question from BJD MLA Tusharkanti Behera, the minister stated that six complaints involved sexual harassment, nine were cases of alleged mental harassment, and two students reportedly faced indecent behaviour. Out of the 19 cases, three were amicably resolved, while actions taken against the accused faculty included transfers in two cases, suspension in one, and termination in another. FIRs have been lodged in connection with two complaints reported from the Government Autonomous College in Rourkela.
Referring to the self-immolation of a 20-year-old female student at Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore, the minister said that both the accused and the college principal were immediately suspended following the incident. A three-member committee, chaired by the director of higher education, has been constituted to conduct a thorough inquiry. An FIR has also been registered, and the matter is under investigation by the Crime Branch.