Tamil Nadu: After six years, the college has not yet filed an ICC complaint over sexual harassment

The Devanga Arts College, Aruppukottai in Virudhnagar, was questioned by the Madras High Court on Thursday for its failure to report allegations of sexual harassment made by females to the Madurai Kamaraj University’s Vishaka Committee, even after six years.

When Ganesan of the Revolutionary Students and Youth Federation filed a public interest litigation petition, Chief Justice SV Gangapurwala and Justice J Sathya Narayana Prasad’s first bench brought up the issue during the hearing.

By July 7, the judge ordered the college’s attorney to provide a response outlining why the complaints of the victims were not sent to the Vishaka Committee. The problem gained attention in 2018 as the impacted students accused assistant professor P Nirmala Devi of pressuring them into having extramarital affairs. After filing a report, the CB-CID detained her.

In order to look into the allegation, Ganesan had submitted a plea to establish a special investigative team led by a female DIG.