FM College self-immolation case: Harassment complaints galore against department head
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FM College self-immolation case: Harassment complaints galore against department head
FM College assistant professor Samira Kumar Sahoo is accused of setting himself afire on July 12. Allegations of harassment and rude behaviour towards students against Sahoo were not just limited to the victim’s batch. Senior students of the college in the Teacher Education department had also levelled serious allegations against S Yahoo with the principal Dilip Ghosh in December last year. The Higher Education department committee began the second round of investigation into the case on Friday.
Senior students of the college in the Teacher Education department had also levelled serious allegations against Sahoo with the principal Dilip Ghosh in December last year.
Appearing before the Higher Education department committee that began the second round of investigation into the case on Friday, a student of the college who passed the BEd course last month and was present on the campus on July 12 when the victim set herself afire, said Sahoo punished everyone who was late in his class including girls.
Requesting anonymity, he said like the victim, he too was into extra-curricular activities including sports and was late to Sahoo’s class at times. “He often threatened me and 14 of my friends from the batch of failing us in the exams if we arrived late to his class,” he said.
The boys had filed a complaint with the principal in this regard last year and Sahoo had apologised. “He apologised but held a grudge against us. Despite us doing well in the exams, he gave us a D grade in our assessments,” he added. Similar allegations were made by a few other students who appeared before the committee on the day.
They claimed the principal was well aware of Sahoo’s rude behaviour towards students. “Every time, there was an allegation, he would apologise before the principal but later, harass us with poor marks,” alleged another student.
The internal complaints committee members (ICC), too, corroborated the allegations. They informed that they had suggested removing Sahoo as the HoD of Teacher Education for his unnecessary rude behaviour towards students. “We have come across multiple allegations against the accused professor and they are being verified. His service records are also being checked,” said a member of the inquiry committee.
On the day, the panel questioned eight members of the ICC and students who were witnesses to the incident on July 12. It will continue the interrogation on Saturday and submit its report to the department in a week.