Baripada: Local police have arrested a professor for allegedly sexually harassing a female student in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district.
The arrested professor, identified as Bidyadhar Andia, is head of the English department at Maharaja Purna Chandra Autonomous College in Baripada, a police officer said.
The professor, accused of sexually harassing the second year PG student of the department, was arrested Thursday based on an FIR lodged by the woman’s father at Baripada police station, he said.
According to a source, the incident took place November 15. The students alleged that despite lodging a complaint against the HoD, no action was taken against him by MPC college authorities.
Demanding action against the accused HoD, the students had locked up the main gate of the college Thursday. Subsequently, the cops rushed to the scene and arrested the professor on the basis of the complaint lodged by the victim.
Reacting to the development, MPC Autonomous College principal Jharana Behera said that the college administration has already taken departmental action against the HoD.
“Andia was replaced as the HoD of the department and was asked to go on leave after the complaint was lodged. He was ousted from his role in Language Lab and Odisha State University and relived from all the responsibilities of the college,” informed Behera.