Medico sex harassment case awaits police probe

TNN | Nov 21, 2017, 07:50 IST

CHENNAI: An enquiry into a sexual harassment complaint filed by a medical intern against an assistant professor at the government Villupuram medical college and hospital has remained inconclusive.

The committee, which conducted a probe on November 8 and 9, submitted the report in this regard to the directorate of medical education on Monday. The directorate of medical education sources revealed that it has decided to wait for an inquiry by the Villupuram district police.

The girl's father said they have not received any information from the college authorities on Monday.

"My daughter, my wife and I appeared for the inquiry on November 8. My daughter narrated the sequences of events to the inquiry committee. The committee also sought the presence of my brother-in-law, who is working in the same college. My daughter spoke about the harassment first to him and later to my wife. The committee also questioned students for two days," said the girl's father.

The retired government employee said he will fight at any cost to prove the sexual harassment charges against the assistant professor. "Thirty-two students have pledged their support and sought an inquiry. The hospital authorities have launched attempts to isolate my daughter from other students threatening that their future will be at stake if they extend support . My daughter had applied long leave and is currently at home," he said.

He said he will seek a copy of the inquiry report to decide on the further course of action. "There are people, whom I don't wish to name, openly declaring that we are wasting our time and energy," he said.

Earlier this month, a medical intern filed a complaint against an assistant professor for harassing her during her duty hours. The complaint accusing the assistant professor of "unwanted deliberate touch" was sent to the Tamil Nadu Dr MGR Medical University vice-chancellor Dr V Geethalakshmi with a copy to the director of medical education Dr Edwin Joe and college dean Dr M Vanithamani. Signatures of 32 batch mates, who claimed to have either known of or witnessed the incident which happened on October 22 was attached to the complaint. While the assistant professor, who has been named in the complaint dated October 25, continues to work in the same college, the medico has been shifted to another unit under another faculty.