MADURAI: State Women's Commission chairperson AS Kumari will submit a report to Minister for Higher Education K Ponmudy and Principal Secretary D Karthikeyan on the harassment charges levelled against Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) professors A Shunmugaraja and C Karuppaiah. She had inspected the varsity recently for a probe.
The students submitted their complaints against former Psychology department head Karuppaiah and assistant professor of History department Shunmugaraja to Kumari in person. All India Democratic Women's Association State Secretary Ponnuthai also gave their memorandum to the chairperson.
Speaking to TNIE, Kumari said she spoke to the victims, eyewitnesses, two women guest lecturers, members of the Internal Complaints Committee and Vice Chancellor of MKU J Kumar. "The main objective of SWC is to prevent harassment inside the higher education premises. Recommendations will be given to strengthen the functioning of ICC, protect the students and give them a space to lodge complaints as per rules," she said.
The lawyer of the victims, U Nirmala Rani said Karuppaiah was released on bail a day after his arrest. "Following this, the parents of students received threats. They said a former guest lecturer in the Psychology department, Maheswari, was allegedly trying to tamper with evidence by using threats. Regarding this, AIDWA has lodged a police complaint," she said, adding that a petition filed on April 25 in front of the Principal Sessions judge to cancel the bail of Karuppaiah was adjourned to June 23. She also urged the state government to appoint a special public prosecutor for the case.