In Kerala, a medical officer accused an assistant professor from the Kerala Central University of inappropriate behaviour toward a student. The Central University of Kerala took action against the medical officer, as she reported the incident to the media without informing the university.

B. Eftikar Ahamed is an assistant professor of English at the Kasargod-based Central University of Kerala. In the university’s clinic, the medical officer has seen him behaving inappropriately toward a partially conscious female student. Also, many students at the Central University of Kerala complained about his inappropriate conversations in the class and in WhatsApp groups.

The medical officer told the reporters that while she was in the outpatient department, she saw Professor Ahmed touching a semi-conscious student inappropriately while the student tried to push him away. The doctor also informed the reporters that she was shocked upon witnessing the incident.

The Central University of Kerala took action against the doctor, as she directly reported the incident to the media without receiving permission from the authorities of the university.

The university gave her a notice according to Rule 11 of the Central Civil Services, which states that government servants should not communicate with fellow government servants or other non-official persons about information acquired on public duties.

The students from the Central University of Kerala approached the Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) of the university on November 14 and filed a 7-page complaint describing the 31 incidents of the professor’s inappropriate behavior after the professor harassed an unconscious student in the classroom.

The Kerala Central University suspended the professor as Officer of ICC, Prof. KA Germina, and the Head of English and Comparative Literature Department, S. Asha, recommended the professor’s suspension. The Vice-Chancellor, Professor KC Baiju, said that Professor B. Eftikar Ahamed was given indefinite leave, and as per the suspension order, he is also not allowed to leave the University campus without permission

The students, after the suspension of the professor, temporarily stopped their agitations, and they also threatened the authorities at the university that they would boycott the classes if anyone supported the professor.

(Inputs from various media sources)

(Rehash/Rohini Devi)