Sexual harassment case: Vice-Chancellor jumps to rescue of English professor

Rajahmundry: The sexual harassment case against the English professor of the Adikavi Nannaya University has taken a new twist. In a recent development, the Vice-Chancellor has come out in support of the English professor and said that some students were trying to tarnish the image of the University.

Few students had written a letter to Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy against N. Surya Raghavendra, head of the department of English, Adikavi Nannaya University, Rajahmundry. The students said that the professor sexually harassed them. They also lodged a complaint against the professor with the Rajahmundry police station.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday ordered an inquiry into the allegation of sexual harassment by PG girl students of the university against Surya Raghavendra.

Vice-Chancellor of the University P. Suresh Varma said that the preliminary internal inquiry into the matter revealed that the allegations against Raghavendra are false.

Varma said, “In the letter to the Chief Minister, the girl students have failed to sign the letter and the phone numbers provided by the students are not operational.”

He added, “Ironically, the students complained against the professor after they passed out from the university. The allegations against the professor seem to be politically motivated. And to tarnish the image of the university.”

The girl students in their letter requested the Chief Minister to dismiss professor Raghavendra. They also alleged that the professor on the pretext of conducting special classes sexually harassed the students. He would take their mobile numbers and then chat with them using indecent language.

Dismissing the allegations that the professor was close to the vice-chancellor of the university, vice-chancellor Suresh Varma said that he assumed office only a year ago.

Professor Raghavendra claimed that he conducted special classes and some students who were not interested had resorted to making baseless allegations against him. Raghavendra said, “I have been the HoD for the last four years, I never faced any charge.”

The Vice-Chancellor Suresh Varma said that the inquiry will be completed in a week and a report will be submitted to the government.