The Central Agricultural University has appointed Pradip Bora as the stand-in Dean of the College of Post Graduate Studies in Umiam after the incumbent, Jitendra Chauhan, was relieved of duty after being accused by two employees of sexual harassment.
The two women, who are casual labourers at the college, filed a police complaint last week and yesterday members of the workers’ union and Khasi Students Union demanded Chauhan’s resignation and that of one Ram Singh, who is alleged to have tried to buy the complainants’ silence.
Speaking to this reporter, Bora informed that, based on the resolution taken by the faculty members, the Chancellor of the university has appointed him for the time being as the new Dean.
“We submitted the resolution on the alleged involvement of the Dean in the sexual molestation case against the two women and, based on the resolution, the Dean was removed from his post and I will take charge until a full-fledged Dean is appointed,” Bora said, adding that a high-power committee will be constituted to inquire into the alleged sexual molestation.
Chauhan has been put on leave and today gave his statement to police. The college will also cooperate fully with the police’s investigation, Bora said.
An FIR was filed on Saturday against Chauhan by two female employees who accused him of sexual molestation. The FIR was filed at Umiam Police Station and the criminal case has been registered at the Women’s Police Station in Nongpoh.
Chauhan had allegedly summoned the women to the college guest house on the pretext of official work but actually for his “sexual interest”.
