SRINAGAR: The Central University of Kashmir has relieved an Associate Professor heading its Department of Chemistry of all departmental and official responsibilities following student protests over allegations that he repeatedly made lewd and objectionable remarks towards female students.
Dr Chinnappan Bhaskar has been attached to the office of the Dean Academic Affairs and relieved of his responsibilities, including as Head of the Department of Chemistry, pending further orders from the competent authority.
The university has also nominated Assistant Professor Dr Prashant Kumar Gupta as Coordinator of the Department of Chemistry as an interim arrangement.
The action followed a protest by scores of female students at the university’s Nunar campus in Ganderbal district on October 1, after a woman student allegedly accused Bhaskar of using vulgar language and making inappropriate remarks in the classroom.
The university has ordered two separate inquiries into the allegations, one by its Internal Committee and another by a special inquiry committee constituted on the directions of Vice-Chancellor A Ravinder Nath.
Registrar Dr Nisar Ahmad Mir told reporters that the university had taken immediate administrative action after being informed about the protests.
“The professor has been relieved of all departmental and official assignments with immediate effect,” Mir was quoted as having said, adding that the university would take appropriate action if sexual harassment allegations were established.
He said a formal written complaint from the student was still awaited, but the Vice-Chancellor had ordered the faculty member’s attachment after learning about the protests.
“There are allegations that he used abusive language in class. Harassment often begins with basic behaviour like staring. I have urged students to immediately report such instances to the Internal Complaints Committee,” Mir said.
The university has asked students who have faced any form of harassment to depose before the Internal Committee.
The allegations made by students include repeated objectionable remarks directed at female students and an alleged comment about a woman’s physical appearance followed by an invitation to go on a date. A protesting student alleged that the professor also warned the student against lodging a complaint.
CUK Students’ Union spokesperson Yasir Wani alleged that the Head of Department had repeatedly made inappropriate remarks towards students and claimed that he had made comments suggesting that he viewed female students as his “girlfriends and wives”.
“He also threatened to ruin their marks and degrees,” Wani alleged, demanding the professor’s termination.
Another protesting student alleged that the teacher had made explicit comments directed at the student who raised the latest allegation and said such behaviour had made students uncomfortable in the classroom.
The allegations have not been established, and the university’s inquiries are expected to determine the facts and whether any provisions relating to sexual harassment have been violated.
Police were also informed about the protest. Ganderbal Superintendent of Police Sudhanshu Dhama said police personnel remained present at the campus to maintain order, but no formal complaint had been lodged for registration of a first information report.
The protesting students also alleged that chemistry students were initially prevented from leaving the department during the demonstration and that the student at the centre of the allegations was under pressure not to approach the police. They said they subsequently decided to pursue the matter through the university’s internal mechanism.
The university order said Bhaskar’s attachment and relief from departmental responsibilities would remain in force “pending further orders from the competent authority”.
The development comes at a time when universities and higher educational institutions are under increasing scrutiny over the mechanisms available to students to report sexual harassment and other forms of misconduct.
For CUK, the immediate challenge is now to ensure that the two inquiries establish the facts independently and that students who come forward are able to depose without fear of academic or administrative repercussions.
