Calcutta, Aug. 4 :     A senior teacher of Presidency College was today sent on leave after a student accused him of molesting her. Sources in the college said that on Tuesday last week the teacher had allegedly attempted to molest a post-graduate student when she went to his chamber before class hours to get her copies corrected. They added that the teacher himself had asked the student to see him. In a written complaint to the principal, the girl?s parents have pressed for action against the teacher, the sources said. The government took the decision to send the teacher on five days? leave after the students met the state director of public instruction (DPI) and submitted a memorandum demanding the teacher be punished. They are seeking his immediate transfer. But, before this, the college had referred the matter to the government at the insistence of teachers, students and the girl?s guardians. ?We cannot transfer any teacher right now because such decisions cannot be taken till the elections are over. But the transfer will definitely take place after October 3,? Piyush Kanti Ganguly, the DPI, said. The teacher admitted he was on leave till Saturday but claimed that the decision was his. ?I have heard that one of the students has lodged a complaint against me, but the authorities have not informed me of the nature of the complaint,? he said. College principal N.C. Mukherjee refused comment. Sources said since Presidency College is directly controlled by the state higher education department, the government has ordered an inquiry. Further action will be taken on the basis of the probe report, higher education department sources said. Shocked by the teacher?s behaviour, the student had hurried off the campus on the day and has not returned since, some of her classmates said. Students of the department boycotted classes the whole of last week in protest against the incident. They even gheraoed the principal, demanding removal of the teacher. After receiving the complaint from the girl?s parents and students, the principal had held meetings with other teachers of the department in an unsuccessful attempt to settle the matter amicably. ?This is the most scandalous incident that has ever taken place in the history of this prestigious institution. We are shocked that the authorities did not punish the teacher until we forced them to do so,? a student said. The students alleged that the college was trying to hush up the incident, fearing it would affect on-going admissions to undergraduate courses.