Cuttack, July 30: The Ravenshaw University suspended an assistant professor after a student levelled sexual harassment charges against him.

The vice-chancellor of the varsity, Prakash Chandra Sarangi, told The Telegraph that an assistant professor of the university's chemistry department, Alekh Kumar Sutar, was suspended after receiving a written complaint against him from a student. The university's gender sensitisation committee against sexual harassment will probe into the matter.

"Further action will be taken on the basis of the committee's report," Sarangi said.

The issue came to light after the first-year undergraduate student of the chemistry department submitted the complaint on Saturday evening. She alleged that the assistant professor had sexually harassed her.

Though the vice-chancellor refused to divulge any details of the nature and magnitude of the issue, university sources said the accused teacher had allegedly made physical contact and advances to the student at his residential quarters on the campus. She, however, resisted and ran away. Whether the teacher had called her to the quarters or the student had gone there on her own was not clear.

The varsity is neither disclosing when the alleged incident happened, nor was the student or the teacher available for comments on the issue.

The committee, which was passed on the complaint yesterday evening, is headed by the dean of school of physical sciences and associate professor of chemistry Smruti Prava Das. It includes nine other members.

Das told The Telegraph that the panel would meet tomorrow and grill the accused. The student will be interrogated the day after. "Things will be clear after that. The report will be submitted to the vice-chancellor as early as possible," Das said.

The committee conducted a gender sensitisation and orientation programme on sexual harassment for the freshers on July 20.

It includes two faculty members, one woman staff member, two hostel wardens, one academician from outside the university, one woman representative of an NGO and two students.

The complaint by the first-year undergraduate student is believed to be an outcome of the programme in the university faculty circle.

Sources said the panel, however, would start probing into the incident tomorrow without the two student members. The two students in the committee had passed and two others to replace them have not yet been nominated.

The act of sexual harassment, according to the Ravenshaw University's policy, rules and procedures of its gender sensitisation committee, includes any unwelcome sexually determined behaviour - whether directly or by implication - and physical contact, advances, a demand or request for sexual favours, sexually coloured remarks, showing pornography and other unwelcome physical, verbal or non-verbal conduct of sexual nature.

The policy documents on sexual harassment also include unwelcome sexual advances and verbal, non-verbal or physical conduct such as loaded comments, slander, remarks or jokes, letters, phone calls or email, gestures, showing of pornography, lurid stares, physical contact or molestation, stalking, sounds or display of derogatory nature have the purpose or effect of interfering with an individual's performance or of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive campus environment.