Jammu University professor facing allegations of sexual harassment found dead

Jammu University professor facing allegations of sexual harassment found dead

Last Updated Sep - 09 - 2022, 11:40 AM | Source : The FELA | Visitors : 23

Jammu University professor who died of suicide after facing complaints of sexual harassment early this week suspect he was “murdered under a conspiracy."

New Delhi: Family members of the Jammu University professor who died of suicide after facing complaints of sexual harassment early this week suspect he was “murdered under a conspiracy". The family has demanded a CBI probe into the circumstances leading to his death. 45-year-old Dr Chander Shekhar, Associate Professor of Psychology at the University of Jammu, was found dead in his office room on the campus on September 7. Beside his body, a note written read, “allegations against me are false". Shekhar belonged to a scheduled caste community.

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His family alleges Shekhar was “institutionally murdered" by some in the university administration to stop him from assuming the headship of his department.

His family, university teachers body, and social activists have demanded a CBI probe into the case and at the same time asked the university authorities to deliver justice and clear his name from the “flimsy charges".

University teachers and students have said they will protest against the death on Friday.

Shekhar was found dead in his office on September 7, two days after he was placed under suspension by the university authorities and a week after 20 to 22 female students had leveled allegations of sexual harassment against him.

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The university-appointed internal committee on sexual harassment complaints had recommended his suspension but many teachers pointed out the action was impulsive and harsh as the professor was not given time to defend himself.

“Similar complaints have been received by the university higher-ups but those cases are being heard for a long time. But in this case, why was the action taken prompt," a university teacher told News 18.

Shekhar, who hailed from Moradabad in Uttar Pradesh, used to put up at the university’s old campus with his wife and children. He joined the university in 2004.

Neeta Shekhar, his wife told a local channel in Jammu that her husband was being victimized because he came from a scheduled caste. She cited instances when he was subjected to “ill-treatment by some colleagues in the department." She appealed to the university higher-ups and police to investigate the case thoroughly. "

“How can a man who lived happily with his family take his life? He was such a content man," she told the channel, adding he was following up on his daughter’s documents on a fateful day. “I spoke to him in the day and then within 30 minutes, I was told he had hanged himself. This is unbelievable," she said.

The professor’s family members and some social activists have demanded a CBI probe.

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Professor Prakash Anthal, Dean of Students’ Welfare at the university, told media that on September 1, 2022, around 20 to 22 students had lodged a written complaint against Professor Chander Shekhar for sexual harassment and the case was being investigated by the university authority.

“Based on the inquiry committee’s initial report, he was placed under suspension and barred from teaching, pending the final inquiry report," he said.

“When he came to know about the decision of the committee, he went to his room and bolted it from inside. When I came to know about the incident, I sent the chief security officer of the university to check," the professor said. He said the security personnel broke open the door to his office and found him dead," he added.

In a detailed statement, the family said there was a conspiracy going on in the university to stop him from becoming HOD on September 30. The family members said Chander was a good academician and had written several books on various aspects of human psychology. He had published a number of research articles in well-known journals, they added.

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“Owing to his high scholarly credentials, he was often invited to national and international conferences and seminars for giving invited lectures," a family member told News 18.

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