Daijiworld Media Network – Mysore (SP)

Mysore, Mar 7: Sarita, a research scholar in the zoology department of Mysore University, reportedly tried to commit suicide on the night of Saturday March 5, because of alleged sexual harassment meted out to her by the professor and guide for her doctorate research, Prof Shivabasavaiah, who heads the zoology department. She consumed excessive doses of sleeping pills, and is being treated in a private hospital in the city.

Sarita is out of danger. She stays in Vijayanagar third phase here, and lives with a daughter. Her husband, Vijayankumar, works in a private company in Bangalore. Vijaykumar said in his complaint filed with the police commissioner that Shivabasavaiah used to pester his wife for sexual favours in return for guiding her, and frequently visited their home on one pretext or the other. He claimed that his wife has been a research scholar since the last one year, and that Shivabasavaiah was particularly insistent since the last thee months, adding that the professor had behaved obscenely with Sarita, when the former visited her home in the pretext of seeing her ailing child. He added that information about the sexual advancement was informed to the vice-chancellor of the university, but that the things did not improve.

He explained that the vice-chancellor summoned the couple to the office, and severely reprimanded Sarita. “Shivabasavaiah, when contacted by the vice-chancellor, refused to provide guidance to Sarita henceforth. Upset by the incident, Sarita tried to end her life by consuming a high dose of sleeping pills,” he stated.

A complaint in this connection was registered in Vijayanagara police station. Registrar of the university, P S Naik, said that a committee would be formed to probe the incident. The vice-chancellor stated that the complaint will be got investigated through the university’s committee on women’s harassments. Shivabasavaish reportedly denied all the allegations made in the complaint, insisting that it was a handiwork of some vested interests out to tarnish his image.