Cuttack, Feb. 25: Mangalabag police today started an inquiry into the sexual harassment allegations brought by a postgraduate girl student against her professor at the SCB Medical College and Hospital.

The investigation began after the 26-year-old complainant alleged that Laxmidhar Das, 49, who is the head of the anaesthesia department, had called her to the department and allegedly molested her there on February 2. It has also been alleged that the professor had been making frequent advances to her since September last year.

The student, who hails from Pondicherry, yesterday lodged the complaint with Mangalabag police.

"We re-examined the student's statement and started the investigation today. Action will be taken in connection with the incident," said a senior police official.

The SCB authorities, on the other hand, have ordered for an internal investigation into the sexual harassment allegations that are levelled against Das.

"We have formed a five-member committee to conducted an internal inquiry into the incident. The complainant was today asked to depose before the committee," said SCB administrative officer Pratap Mishra.

However, Das had refuted the allegations. He had earlier been posted at the VSS Medical College at Burla in Sambalpur and joined the SCB in July 2014.

"There seems to be some misunderstanding, and I have never ever misbehaved with the girl student," he said.

It is for the second time in the past two years that a postgraduate student has levelled sexual harassment allegations against an SCB professor.

In June 2014, around 15 postgraduate girl students had brought physical and mental harassment charges against Sitaram Mohapatra, head of the pathology department at SCB.

The concerned professor was then transferred after the junior doctors had threatened with a cease work.