Amid political and public outrage across Odisha for justice to the family members of deceased lady teacher Mamita Meher, the district administration in Kalahandi launched a probe at two hostels of the Mahalinga college on Wednesday. Mamita was a teacher at the same institute.
As per reports, Child Protection Unit officer Nirmala Sahu and other officials under the supervision of Dharmagarh Sub-Collector Sachin Pawar visited the plus 2 and plus 3 ladies hostels of the college and audited various documents.
Meanwhile, the Mahalinga college managing committee called a meeting of all the guardians today to discuss their problems. The guardians also met Sub-Collector Pawar and requested him to take necessary steps for an alternative arrangement of boarding and lodging facilities for the girl students at the college.
Also Read
“My daughter is not ready to stay at the hostel any more. Only two semesters of her final examination are left. We have requested the Sub-Collector to direct the college authorities to finish the remaining classes via online mode. The girl students will attend those classes only and appear in the examinations,” said a guardian.
The district administration has urged the guardians to submit their written complaints and assured them to take necessary actions at the earliest.
Notably, from day one, several political parties, social organisations and residents of Kalahandi-Bolangir have been alleging that a sex racket was being operated in the ladies hostel premises of the college, and girl students as well as female staff were sexually harassed by the prime accused in the Mamita murder case- Gobinda Sahu who is also the President of the college managing committee.
There are also allegations that the Minister of State for Home Dibya Shankar Mishra used to visit the girls’ hostel frequently.