Odisha university panel indicts dean in sexual abuse slur

Cuttack: A committee probing charges of sexual harassment levelled by a Ravenshaw University student against the Dean of Students’ Welfare has found prima facie evidence against the accused who is an Odisha Administrative Service officer. The gender sensitisation committee against sexual harassment of the University has a suggested the authorities to initiate appropriate action, a university official said today.[caption id=“attachment_1377215” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Protesting crime against women. PTI[/caption] “I have received the report of the committee which has indicted the accused stating that prima facie, a sexual harassment case is made out against him,” said University vice chancellor BC Tripathy. A final year computer science student had brought the sexual harassment allegation against DSW Parthasarathi Mishra last week following which the VC had asked the committee to look into the allegation and report back. The girl had alleged that when she had gone to meet Mishra in his chamber in connection with a matter of campus recruitment, Mishra proposed to marry her. When she spurned the proposal, he allegedly harassed her sexually, she alleged. Mishra has, however, refuted the allegation as false and baseless. Tripathy said the committee, besides examining the complainant and the accused, has also examined four other independent witnesses and found the accused did not tell truth when he denied the allegations levelled against him. Mishra had apparently told the committee that he was not in his chamber when the girl entered into it. “But the committee examining other staff members of the administrative block reached a conclusion that Mishra was inside his chamber when the complainant entered it,” the VC said quoting the findings of the report. “Since the officer was here on deputation from the state government, we will accordingly intimate the government about his conduct,” the VC said, adding the University is likely to seek advice from the government on its future course of action. Meanwhile, sources in the Police Commissionerate said the city police is closely watching the development and would take appropriate action only when the girl or the University approaches it. PTI