india

Updated: Jan 17, 2019 18:49 IST

Jadavpur University (JU) professor Kanak Sarkar, who compared a “virgin girl” to a “sealed bottle” in his social media post, will face inquiry into allegations of sexual harassment that were not reported before.

He cannot enter the campus till inquiries against him are not over, the authorities announced on Wednesday after complaints from students poured in.

During a closed-door meeting of the student-teacher committee of the international relations department, students, most of whom were women, alleged that Sarkar had been behaving inappropriately for many years and used to threaten those who protested.

“After receiving this report, we ordered an inquiry into the allegations,” JU vice chancellor Suranjan Das said.

“Sarkar will also face parallel probes by West Bengal Commission for Women and National Commission for Women. Sarkar has been asked to stay away from campus till all these inquiries are not over,” Das added.

Om Prakash Mishra, head of the international relations department, asked student-teacher committee to meet. Several students alleged Sarkar used to make inappropriate comments during classes and on campus.

“The students alleged that Sarkar used to threaten them if they objected to his behaviour. Students also alleged that Sarkar’s teachings made little sense and were of no use to them,” one of the five teachers in the committee said on condition of anonymity. After the meeting, Mishra divested Sarkar of his responsibilities and submitted a report to the VC.

“The committee has recommended that Prof Sarkar be divested of his teaching responsibilities in the department. Committee has demanded a thorough investigation into his conduct and the mandate of which should include violation of all forms of marginalized social identities and sexual harassment. All the students have asked for his suspension and expulsion from service,” Mishra wrote in his report that HT has seen.

Sarkar did not take calls after JU authorities ordered an inquiry against him. He deleted his profile page on Facebook on Wednesday night.However, till Tuesday he defended himself.