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A 22-year-old Dalit student of the National Sanskrit University in Tirupati has accused two assistant professors of sexual harassment and threats of leaking private visuals.
The woman, who is an Odisha native studying at the central university, has alleged that Laxman Kumar, an assistant professor in the Department of Education, had intimate visuals of her which he used to blackmail and sexually harass her. Her complaint also alleges that another assistant professor in the same department, Shekar Reddy, also accessed the visuals of the student with Laxman Kumar and used them to sexually harass her by demanding sexual favours.
Tirupati Superintendent of Police (SP) L Subbarayudu told TNM that the student approached the university authorities on November 25.
The university’s Internal Committee (IC) investigated her complaint and concluded its findings on December 5. The Registrar in-charge then lodged a police complaint on December 6, based on which an FIR has been registered against “Laxman Kumar and others”.
The Tirupati West Police registered an FIR charging Laxman Kumar with sexual harassment, voyeurism, insulting the modesty of a woman, and criminal intimidation, under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
“The contents of the complaint also name Shekar Reddy. Based on investigation, his name may be added as accused,” the SP said.
NSU has suspended the faculty members based on the IC’s findings.
The student also mentioned in her complaint that following the harassment, her parents asked her to return home and that she was forced to discontinue her education.
The SP said that the police will be going to Odisha to talk to the student.
Tirupati MP, Maddila Gurumoorthy of the YSRCP, and Koraput MP, Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, of the Congress, have decided to move adjournment motions in the Parliament on December 8 over the incident.
Gurumoorthy has also written to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the National Commission for Women, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes, and the National Human Rights Commission seeking intervention in the case.