Students catch NIT official groping colleague; demand resignation

Rourkela: In a sensational incident, students of NIT, Rourkela caught the security officer of the institute Balaram Champatiray groping a woman security officer inside his office.

The students, who photographed Champatiray while committing the act, have launched a protest alleging sexual harassment. According to allegations, the accused has harassed more than a dozen women who take up jobs to sustain their families.

Protesting students have demanded suspension of Champatiray and an inquiry into the whole incident.

“We have strong evidence against Champatiray to prove that he has been exploiting his subordinates in broad daylight and inside the premises,” said a protesting student.

“We are also studying here. There must be some other persons involved in the crime; otherwise, no one can gather the courage to commit such acts inside the college. If the officer is thrown out, it will cause fear among his accomplices and prevent them from committing such acts,” said another student.

Commenting on the matter, accused Champatiray said “Nothing has been done either forcefully or consensually. It was just a mere prank among us. Sexual harassment allegations are totally false and it is being done to defame me.”

Meanwhile, the director of NIT, Sunil Kumar Sarangi said, “If we have a fact-finding team then more and more victims will come out in the open.”