Bhubaneswar, Dec. 11: The higher education department has urged the technical education department to take action against the director of Regional College of Management here with allegation of sexual harassment levelled against him.

Higher education officials had received the complaint against Prabir Pal, director of Regional College of Management (RCM), one of the oldest B-schools in the city, filed by his former colleague.

The woman, who is in her mid 30s, has alleged that Pal has been harassing women staff members in the college for many years.

In her complaint to the police commissioner, she alleged that Pal had a “separate room” where he assaulted the women. She also alleged that while CCTV cameras had been installed in every nook and corner of the college, the director’s room had none and the “separate room was meant for sexually assaulting women”.

The woman said that Pal raped her in the room repeatedly till she was forced to leave her job. As a result of such a hostile environment, many women employees of the college have been forced to leave their jobs, she said.

“Such an attitude by the director has kept all women employees of the institution in tremendous mental pressure,” she alleged urging the police and the state government to start a serious investigation.

However, the accused did not respond despite several attempts to contact him through phone calls and e-mail. Joint secretary of the technical education department Ratnakar Rout said that he was yet to receive the letter from higher education officials about the issue, but assured strict action if the allegations were proved true.

“After the letter reaches us, we will take all step to ensure that the accused is punished under the provisions of the act. We will also forward the case to the State Women’s Commission for immediate action,” Rout added.

Stabbed

A youth was stabbed by a group of people in Nuagaon Raghunathpur under Airfield police station area this evening.

The victim Ashok Bhoi, 18, a student sustained injuries on his hands and stomach.

He was shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack after preliminary treatment at Capital Hospital. The police said that the attack was a over a previous enmity and they have launched a man hunt to arrest the accused persons.