Male student in Odisha’s Jajpur alleges sexual harassment by college HoD; probe ordered

Amid continuing public outrage over the recent death of a female student in Balasore following allegations of sexual harassment, a fresh case has surfaced in Jajpur district, where a male college student has accused his Head of Department (HoD) of repeated sexual misconduct.

As per initial reports, the 21-year-old third-year Political Science student submitted a written complaint on Saturday against his HoD, Niranjan Panda.

In the complaint addressed to the college Principal and local police, the student alleged that Panda had been persistently misbehaving with him on campus and had invited him to his residence on multiple occasions, allegedly demanding sexual favours in exchange for higher grades.

Threats and Prior Allegations Surface

According to the complaint, the student also claimed that on July 16, in the presence of two fellow students, the teacher threatened to deliberately fail him in upcoming examinations if he refused to comply with the demands.

The allegations have prompted a formal response from the college administration, which has constituted a five-member internal inquiry committee, directing it to submit its report by Monday ( July 21). Reports also added that Jajpur police officials were also apprised of this matter.

In an interaction with OTV, the accused teacher, however, said that all claims against him are baseless. "I do not know why some people are spreading false accusations in my name and are trying to shame me by using the media. I have done no such thing, and such allegations hamper my reputation," he said.

Accused Teacher Had Prior Arrest in Similar Case

Notably, the accused teacher, Niranjan Panda, was previously arrested in 2021 on similar charges of sexually harassing male students. He was later released on bail and reinstated to his position at the college.

The incident has emerged just days after a female student at Fakir Mohan Autonomous College in Balasore attempted self-immolation inside the campus, accusing her HoD of sexual harassment.

That student later succumbed to her injuries at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, sparking statewide protests and a renewed demand for institutional accountability and protection of students.