SCB Prof arrested for sexual harassment suspended

Cuttack: Anaesthesia department head of SCB medical college Prof Laxmidar Das, who is already been behind bars for sexually harassing a post-graduate girl student, was put under suspension after chief minister Naveen Patnaik approved the suspension order today.

Prof Dr Laxmikant Das was sent to jail after his bail plea was rejected by a court in Cuttack on February 26.

Mangalabag police had arrested Das acting on a written complaint lodged by the victim on February 24.

The police had registered the case under section 354 (A) (sexual harassment) and 354 D (stalking) and recorded statements of the victim and four of her friends who accompanied her to the police station.

The complainant hailing from Puducherry had alleged that Das had called her to the department on February 2 and molested her. She also alleged that the professor had been making frequent sexual advances to her since September last year.

The SCB authorities, on the other hand, ordered an internal investigation into the sexual harassment allegations.

Reacting to the allegation and police action, the accused professor had said; “The allegations are baseless and concocted. I have never misbehaved with any girl student.”

Sources said the victim is the daughter of a senior DMK leader and a former minister of Puducherry.