Cuttack, Oct. 10: Police today started investigation into the alleged sexual harassment of a student by teachers at SCB Dental College and Hospital here.
The postgraduate (second year) student of oral and maxillofacial surgery department had levelled sexual harassment and assault allegations against a senior resident, an associate professor and head of the department, at the Manglabag police station yesterday.
A case was registered under Indian Penal Code sections 354 (outraging modesty of a woman), 354A (demand for sexual favours or advances involving unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures) and 354D (attempting to contact despite clear indication of disinterest).
'As part of the investigation, we started off with recording of the statement of the alleged victim today under section 161 of the criminal procedure code,' inspector in charge Arun Kumar Swain said. Mahila Police Station inspector Ansumala Das recorded her statement.
'As part of the investigation process, we will next seek details on the teachers named in the FIR from the principal of the college,' Swain said. The inspector indicated that all the parties would be questioned to ascertain the truth.
In her complaint lodged with the police, the 26-year-old student had alleged 'sexual harassment and assault'.
'Dr Niranjan Mishra (associate professor) and Dr Krishna Gopal Birmiwal (senior resident) of our department sexually harassed me by approaching me with ill intentions many times and when I disagreed with their proposal, they threatened me in many ways,' the complainant alleged in her complaint. 'I have been mentally and physically harassed.' She further alleged that when she had informed the matter to the head of the department Dr Indu Bhusan Kar on October 7, he paid no heed to her and instead 'physically assaulted' her and asked her to leave.
'I am shocked by such behaviour of my head of department,' she said.
Dr Kar said the allegations were 'false and concocted'. He said: 'If reprimanding a postgraduate student for not doing her hospital duty ends up in such baseless and unfounded allegations, then how will the institution run?'
Kar said on October 6, she was supposed to attend an emergency call in the casualty department but when the senior resident called her up, she did not answer his phone call.
'The next day, the senior resident complained about the incident to his senior - the associate professor - and the matter was brought to me. When the student came to me, I just asked her to do her duties sincerely,' Kar said.
SCB Dental College and Hospital principal Jayanta Das said he had not received any complaint from the student. 'Since the student has gone to the police without informing me, let the law take its course,' Das said. 'However, if a complaint is brought to me, I will refer it to the sexual harassment committee of the college.'
Throat slit
A goon stole a bicycle from a Class-III girl at Tangi-Choudwar block in Cuttack today after slitting her throat. Deepika Tarai, a student of DAV school at Mania, was initially taken to Tangi Hospital by local residents in a critical condition. She was later shifted to SCB Medical College and Hospital when her condition deteriorated.
