Students Demand DU Prof’s Removal over Sexual Harassment Charges

The professor denied the allegations as “baseless”, stating that it was an effort to ruin his professional life.

A section of students from Delhi University (DU) on Thursday, 29 March, staged a demonstration on the campus, demanding expulsion of the head of the Chemistry department over complaints of alleged sexual harassment against the professor.

The professor denied the allegations as "baseless". He told PTI that it was part of efforts to ruin his professional life.

"I had questioned (many) teachers for their absence. My colleagues have their aspirations and they are leveling baseless allegations. How can you run a department if they do not turn up to work. They do not inform about leaves, neither do they pick up calls," the professor said.

I have all documents pertaining to my questions put to the teachers. They want to create a situation like JNU. This is such a sensitive issue that even those are not related to the issue will join hands to protest because everyone has a woman in their family.

The professor to PTI

According to the protesters, complaints against the professor were recently filed in the varsity's Internal Complaints Committee, and a written complaint has also been submitted to the Vice Chancellor.

"The professor had passed derogatory and sexually-coloured remarks against students," one of the protesting students said.

A Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) professor was recently arrested for alleged sexual harassment of students. An FIR was launched against Professor Atul Johri by a female student, while several other reports cases were being looked into by the Delhi police.

Students and professors alike had held protest marches, demanding the arrest and expulsion of the professor for an alleged eight known cases of sexual misconduct against him. Johri, however, was later granted bail.

(With inputs from PTI)