Bengaluru: A professor at a medical college near Bengaluru has been booked for sexual harassment after videos showing him proposing to a female student in class went viral, police said on Thursday.
The incident has drawn widespread attention following the circulation of videos from the campus.
Where and when did the incident take place?
The episode reportedly at Sri Siddhartha Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre, located in T. Begur in Nelamangala.
In one of the videos, the professor is seen addressing a group of students before proposing to a female student during the session. He further claimed that the student had earlier expressed her feelings towards him and that he was reciprocating them.
What happened inside the classroom?
To mark the occasion, the professor had reportedly brought a carton of chocolates and asked that they be distributed among the students present in the class.
The student, however, objected immediately and told him that such a matter should be taken up with the college principal. She also directly questioned his claim and asked when she had ever made such a proposal.
In the video, the professor is heard continuing to insist on his version, asking, "Didn't you say I love you Mohammed, didn't you say it?" He also stated that there was CCTV footage to support his claim.
The student then demanded that he produce the footage. The professor subsequently left the classroom, telling her that the matter could be discussed the following day, while also asking students to go ahead and enjoy the chocolates.
What do the viral videos show?
A second video from the incident shows the professor being physically assaulted by students, who are seen hitting him with slippers. The footage also captures the same female student striking him with a slipper amid the commotion unfolding around them.
What action has been taken by the police?
Following a complaint lodged by the college principal on Thursday, a case has been registered at the Nelamangala Rural Police Station against the accused.
According to a senior police officer, the case has been filed under Sections 74, 75(1), and 329(3) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. These sections relate to assault or use of criminal force against a woman with intent to outrage her modesty, sexual harassment, and criminal trespass.
What does the FIR reveal?
As per the FIR, the complainant stated that the accused, who is an assistant professor, had been displaying inappropriate behaviour on campus and had allegedly been sexually harassing students. It further noted that students had previously submitted complaints seeking protection.
The complaint also alleged that the accused had been barred from entering the campus. Despite this, he is said to have trespassed onto the premises on March 23, where he misbehaved with the student involved and harassed others as well, police added.<