TV
The Human Rights Protection Cell, Cuttack, on Friday sought an Action Taken Report (ATR) from the SP, Jagatsinghpur on a Dalit woman being allegedly sexually harassed by an Assistant Engineer at the port Electrical Division Revenue Section of Paradeep Port Authority.
“You are requested to enquire into the allegation of the petitioner and take appropriate action as per law. A copy of your Action Taken Report may please be furnished to this office as well as to the petitioner by 20.09.2024,” the letter from HRPC, Cuttack read.
The Human Rights Protection Cell passed the order acting on a petition filed by an SC woman who accused Assistant Engineer Subash Kumar Sahoo of sexually harassing her at the workplace for the last one year.
The victim Laxmipriya Mallick has accused Subash, Assistant Engineer at port Electrical Division Revenue Section Paradeep Port Authority, of harassing her sexually and also scolding her using casteist slurs.
“Mr Sahoo without any reason called me to his office in the name of work and sexually abuses me and tries to fulfill his lustful desires. I reported the matter to the General Secretary when he exceeded his limit. He later apologized with his wife for his misconduct. He later remained silent for a few days and then started his earlier practice as usually, forcing me to lodge an FIR,” the victim said in a letter to the HRPC.
While the victim has not resigned from her job, Sahoo allegedly sent a false and fabricated resignation letter to her higher authorities in Bangalore by putting her duplicate signature. She came to know about her resignation letter after her salary was stopped.
Her letter further read, “I’m an SC lady and my husband is not staying with me. I’m staying with my 7 years old child and for the maintenance of my baby this job is highly essential. Therefore, I pray to kindly take necessary action against Sahoo as per provision of SC/ST (PA) ACT and direct my authority to reinstate me in service and arrest Sahoo.”
