Jammu and Kashmir Education Minister Sakeena Itoo on Friday announced the suspension of an Assistant Professor and the Principal of Amar Singh College, Srinagar, following an alleged harassment complaint filed by a student against the Head of the Department of Media Studies.
"We have zero tolerance policy of such behavior. We received a complaint yesterday and immediately I urged the Secretary Higher Education Department to issue suspension order against the assistant professor and the principal of Amar Singh College," Itoo said.
The Minister added that an inquiry has been ordered into the matter and a report is to be submitted within a week. "Strict action will be taken against whosoever will be found involved in the matter," she warned.
The development comes a day after authorities on Thursday removed Dr. Parvaiz Ahmad Lone, Head of the Department of Media Studies at Amar Singh College, from all academic responsibilities following the complaint.
In an order issued Thursday, the Principal of Amar Singh College stated that Dr. Lone had been "disassociated from all academic affairs of the Department with immediate effect, pending the outcome of the inquiry," in response to a student demonstration over the alleged harassment of a female student.
The order further stated that the Proctorial Board had been entrusted with conducting a transparent and time-bound inquiry into the matter, with a report to be submitted within two days. Prof. Nusrat Sayed has been asked to look after the affairs of the Department of Media Studies until the completion of the investigation.
Comments are closed.