Engineering college director and HoD booked for abetting suicide
DEHRADUN: Pauri Garhwal police have registered an FIR after the husband of a woman assistant professor at a state government-run engineering college, who died by suicide, filed a complaint against two senior staff members of the institute for mental harassment, police officials said.
The FIR was registered against director Y Singh and HoD AK Gautam of Govind Ballabh Pant Institute of Engineering and Technology, Ghurdauri, under section 306 (abetment of suicide) at Pauri police station.
Pauri Garhwal senior superintendent of police Shweta Choubey said, “We have begun our investigation into the matter after registration of the FIR and are collecting evidence. No arrest has been made so far.”
Uttarakhand State Commission for Women has taken cognisance of the suicide and directed Pauri SSP to take action against culprits. Commission chairperson Kusum Kandwal said, “I have directed Pauri SSP to take strict action against culprits in connection with suicide of the woman assistant professor and submit an action taken report. I have also asked the Internal Complaints Committee of the college to probe the matter.”
The husband of the woman professor said his wife had joined the engineering college as assistant professor in Department of Electronics and Communications Engineering in April 2019. In the complaint, he alleged that since she joined the institute, two senior staff members – Y Singh and AK Gautam – have been mentally harassing her. He said the two professors have been pressuring his wife to complete the syllabus to get approval for maternity leave.
“When her pregnancy pain intensified, she took casual leave during which she gave birth to a baby girl. It was only after delivery, her maternity leave got approved. She subsequently came home with the newborn. Our newborn girl died during this period. My wife faced mental trauma after her death. After her maternity leave period ended, she joined her duties on May 12. She came to know that HoD Dr AK Gautam has removed her name from the attendance register. Thereafter the promotion process began. She visited the HoD to forward her records for her promotion for three-four days but the HOD denied. Between May 22 and May 25, she was mentally harassed to the extent that HoD conveyed her that she can resign or commit suicide but he won’t allow her promotion to happen. On May 25, she called me from her office and informed me that HoD was harassing, insulting and even using foul language. I told her that I will speak to him. Broken by mental harassment from the director and HoD, she jumped into the Alaknanda river from Naithana Jhula bridge, Srinagar,” the complainant said.
Talking to a news web portal, college director Singh said, “The allegations are not true. Neither I nor my subordinates mentally harassed the victim. On all occasions, whenever she applied for casual or maternity leave, her application was approved the same day. As far as promotion is concerned, July 31 is the last date for seeking applications from all faculty members.”
I have directed the Pauri SSP to take strict action against culprits in connection with suicide of woman assistant professor KUSUM KANDWAL, Chief of State Commission for Women