Three professors working at Andhra University have been accused of sexual harassment and dowry harassment, here in Visakhapatnam.
Of the three professors, two are said to be heads of departments.
In one case, a professor from Science College allegedly misbehaved with a woman on board a moving bus which was headed from the city to Vijayawada on Tuesday.
The woman lodged a complaint through the Disha App, after which the Disha Control Centre at Mangalagiri alerted the ACP Prem Kajal of Women Police Station in Visakhapatnam, who in turn immediately alerted the Eluru III Town police.
The police officials zeroed in on the accused professor and took him into custody after lodging an FIR under the newly-implemented Zero FIR model.
Police have registered a sexual harassment case against the professor.
‘Abusive language’
In another case, students from the Arts College lodged a complaint against a professor, who is also the head of a department, accusing him of making abusive, vulgar and double entendre comments in the classroom. The students lodged a complaint with Registrar Prof. V Krishna Mohan, and urged him to initiate action against the professor.
Dowry harassment
In the third case, a woman lodged a complaint with the III Town Police against her husband, who works as a professor and heads a department in the Science College at Andhra University. In her complaint, the woman alleged that her husband, apart from harassing her for dowry, was also sexually harassing a research scholar in the department who works with him.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP-Zone I) S. Ranga Reddy, said that though the research scholar has not come forward to lodge a complaint, the police have registered a case of dowry harassment under Section 498A and have launched an investigation into the case.
Prof. Krishna Mohan said that a three-member committee has been formed by AU Vice-Chancellor P.V.G.D. Prasada Reddy to look into the complaint lodged by Arts College students.
Speaking on the Zero FIR case which was booked against another AU professor, the Registrar said that they have asked the Eluru police to send a copy of the FIR based on which they will take further action.