Rajasthan Medical College: MBBS student alleges Sexual Harassment by Biochemistry Professor

Bharatpur: A first-year female MBBS student at the government-run Bharatpur Medical College has complained of sexual harassment by a faculty in the medical institute's Biochemistry Department. The faculty, however, denied all allegations adding that the student was making false allegations to put pressure on him.

This is apparently first such incident reported from the medical college. Taking serious concern of the allegations submitted by the MBBS student, the medical college administration has entrusted the investigation of the case to the 7-member committee for prevention of incidents of sexual harassment at the institute.

Local Media reports state that in her complaint, the MBBS student alleged that on January 2, at 1.50 pm, Assistant Professor (Biochemistry) called her in his office. Then he started showing her charts related to the subject. Sometime later, the MBBS student told him that she had to go somewhere with her friend and requested the professor to let her leave as soon as possible. "But, he did not believe me and started molesting me. Somehow, I escaped from his office and went to my hostel and told other girls about the incident," she told Dainik Bhaskar.

Read Also: NIMS DM Neurology Medico Suicide: Bullying, Harassment, Humiliation Rampant at medical college, finds report

Later, she called up her parents and informed them about the incident following which they came to the hostel the next day. Subsequently, the MBBS student shot up a written complaint to the medical college administration.

Once the news spread around the campus, other medical students at the Institute staged a protest and raised slogans against the incident.

Later, after knowing about the riot, the Sevar Police reached the medical college premises but the college administration asked the officials not to take any action. The Principal and Controller of the medical college, Dr Ajay Kukreja told the police that it's an internal matter and the college committee will first probe the matter. The police can only check if they have any written complaint in this regard.

Patrika reports that at the same time when ADM City reached the college on the instruction of District Collector, the victim MBBS student and the Assistant Professor, as well as the Principal, were asked for their statements on the matter.

The Principal informed Bhaskar, "I have received a written complaint of harassment. On this, a 7-member committee has been asked to investigate and prepare the report within 12 hours. The committee is investigating the case."

However, later the MBBS student filed a complaint in this regard with the police following which a case has been filed against the Professor under IPC section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty).

In his defence, the Assistant professor has refuted the allegations against him. He stated to Bhaskar that the MBBS student is trying to put pressure on the medical college faculty by making false allegations so that he can be tried against the rule." He claimed that the student is often absent from the class and she was also not present in the medical college's internal exam. On this matter, he had called her to his office to explain.

Read Also: Ujjain Medical College: 14 PG Pathology Medicos Allege Sexual Harassment, Faculty arrested