Bengaluru's Maharani college accuse staffer of harassment, file complaint with women's commission

Several girl students of Maharani Arts, Commerce and Management in Bengaluru have accused a staffer of harassing them. 

At least 20 students have reportedly approached the Karnataka State Commission for Women, accusing the Superintendent of the college, for allegedly verbally abusing them. The complainants are MBA students, reports The Times of India.

In their written complaint to the Women's  Commission, the students alleged that the Superintendent used foul language and made obscene comments. 

On Tuesday, when Commission Chairperson Nagalakshmi Bai visited the college, the students said that they directly approached the Commission when the college Principal turned a blind eye to their complaint. 

Some complainants told The Hindu that the Principal did not take any action on a complaint they lodged against the Superintendent in the past. 

Saying that the Commission has taken up the matter with utmost seriousness, Chairperson Nagalakshmi conducted a preliminary inquiry into the complaint. She has also reportedly directed the Principal to conduct an internal inquiry and submit a report to the Commission. 

Action will be taken against the Superintendent based on the findings of the inquiry report, Nagalakshmi said. 

During her visit to the hostel, the Commission Chairperson also found that the facilities in the hostel was not up to the mark. According to The Hindu, Nagalakshmi has directed the hostel warden to provide good facilities to the students. 

“The hostel was not clean and five students are forced to live in each room. There is mosquito, rat and even snake menace. There is water leakage and foul smell in the hostel campus. The food served to the hostel inmates was also of bad quality,” she was quoted as saying.