After a third-year student of BSc Agricultural Sciences in Tiruvannamalai Agricultural College had complained of sexual harassment against one of her professors, the college subsequently suspended the professor after an inquiry was conducted. The student had then requested to be transferred to the university’s Trichy campus, which had been granted, according to the Saibaba Colony police station in Coimbatore.
But now, the student wants to return to the Tiruvannamalai campus to continue the remainder of her education, a transfer that’s currently under consideration.
On Saturday, members of the Students’ Federation of India in Coimbatore conducted a dharna in front of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University Campus in support of a student of the college. Students began protesting around noon on Friday and left around 3 pm.
A month after she was given permission to transfer to the university’s Trichy campus, the student has allegedly come forward to seek reentry into the Tiruvannamalai campus.
Speaking to TNM, Vice Chancellor of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, K Ramaswamy, claims that the student had asked to be transferred to the Trichy campus as she felt mentally aggrieved following the professor’s harassment.
However, according to Ramasamy, the student had not accepted the Trichy transfer in time and after the offer letter lapsed, the seat was cancelled. Following this, the student petitioned to return to Tiruvannamalai. He further claimed that after the complaint about the professor, several other students felt uncomfortable about the student’s return to the campus. “The students themselves have asked for 15 days to determine whether they are OK with the student returning, which is why we have given them the time. She had initially requested to be transferred to Trichy but didn’t accept within the time given and the time has expired,” he said.
He further added that the petition would decided by committee members of the college on whether the student should be transferred back to Tiruvannamalai, as per her request, or whether she will have to stay in Trichy.
While the student herself was not available for comment, others who helped her petition have stated that they have no issue with her returning to the college. “It was the university which had asked for 15 days time so they can take up the decision after discussing with the internal committee,” stated SFI member Dinesh to TNM. “The petition was actually signed by her classmates who supported her plea to return to the campus.”