New Delhi/Hyderabad, March 14: The air force has ordered an inquiry after allegations by three cadets of the Air Force Academy that they were harassed by an instructor in the institution that grooms officers for the service.

Air force sources in Delhi said the academic record of the three girls was poor and they had been suspended from the academy at Dindigul near Hyderabad. The cadets were due for commissioning later this month.

The sources added that the cadets had failed to pass tests and had not complained of harassment when asked to appear before a training review board headed by the deputy commandant of the academy and three officers.

However, according to a wing commander at the academy, the cadets alleged that their suspension was a follow-up action to their in-house complaint against an instructor, a charge that the academy denied.

The cadets did send three complaints to the IAF headquarters in Delhi but had not alleged that the instructor had demanded sexual favours. The academy officer said the ?inquiry report was sent to the air headquarters?.

This is the first time that a sexual harassment charge has come to public notice since the Indian Air Force decided to recruit women in its non-combat wing 10 years ago.