NIT Silchar Assistant Professor Dr. Koteswara Raju Dhenukonda was arrested on Friday according to police reports following alleged sexual harassment of a female student. The head of Cachar police, Numal Mahatta, confirmed that Dr. Koteswara Raju Dhenukonda had been suspended from NIT before his detention on campus, based on allegations filed by the victim and her family.
As quoted by NDTV, a police officer stated, “Initially, he tried to hide himself and locked the door of his quarter from outside but we traced his mobile phone location and detained him at around 5.30pm. He was later arrested under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).”
The Professor got suspended after a complaint from a student of Bachelor of Technology. The student body carried out an all-night protest to push for appropriate action by administrators toward the professor. The victim reported that the harassment occurred when he required her to visit his private chamber. She filed a written complaint to the institute revealing the professor touched her against her wishes when providing feedback about her lowest grades.
As quoted by NDTV, the viral letter mentioned, “He asked me to sit beside him and asked me why I get less marks. He started holding my hands and touching my fingers. He then gradually held my thighs. He then started playing vulgar songs in his computer in front of me… touched my stomach and rubbed my stomach. I started crying but he did not stop. He asked me to feel comfortable and spread my legs properly. He then grabbed my neck from behind and kept holding it.”
The woman mentioned that her escape happened after her friend telephoned from outside the professor’s cabin. She declared this incident to be both molestation as well as sexual and mental harassment.
Registrar Ashim Roy officially sealed off the chamber which allegedly became the location of the reported incident, in his official announcement. The institute offers full support to the victim for both safety and comfort purposes explained the official. Roy disclosed that the institute has sent the matter to its Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) for additional investigation.
The director of NIT Silchar Dilip Kumar Baidya gathered staff members earlier during the day for a meeting about the case. All security measures are currently reaching stability. His education emphasized that the student population decreased because members participated in a demonstration that lasted till 4 AM, as reported by NDTV.
