Sambalpur: Sexual Harassment Allegation Against Professor at Burla VSSUT; Investigation Underway After Student’s Complaint

Accusation Against Associate Professor

Sambalpur: A female PhD student from the Mathematics Department at Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT), Burla, has accused an associate professor of sexual harassment. The accused, Dr. Mahendra Kumar Jena, is the program head of the Mathematics Department.

Complaint Filed a Month Ago

Although the student filed a written complaint with the university authorities about a month ago, no action had been taken until now.

Accused Admitted to Nursing Home

Following the complaint, Dr. Jena was reportedly admitted to a nursing home in Burla, allegedly due to mental health issues.

Internal Committee Investigating

Currently, the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) is investigating the incident. The Vice-Chancellor of VSSUT, Professor Deepak Kumar Sahu, stated that action would be taken after the investigation report is submitted.

Temporary Removal from Department Head Position

Meanwhile, under the direction of the Vice-Chancellor, the university registrar has removed Dr. Jena from his position as the program head of the Mathematics Department.

Nature of the Allegation Still Unknown

The specific details mentioned in the student’s complaint have not been made public. However, there are discussions suggesting that Dr. Jena may have sent obscene messages to the student’s mobile phone.

Delay in Report Raises Questions

Despite the complaint being over a month old, the investigation report has not yet been submitted. As a result, questions are being raised about the delay in action and the university’s handling of the case.