Harassment row: Odisha’s Utkal varsity bars teacher from academic activities

Bhubaneswar: With the students of psychology department agitating since last five days over harassment allegations against an Assistant Professor, the authorities of Utkal University in Odisha capital today initiated action against the accused teacher.

The Head of the Department Bhaswati Patnaik issued an order to keep Maheswar Satpathy away from all academic activities.

“All academic and student related activities of the Department are hereby withdrawn from Maheswar Satpathy, Asst Profession, Department of Psychology with immediate effect till a report is submitted by the enquiry committee,” Patnaik said in a statement addressed to post graduate students.

The students of state’s premier educational institution had been agitating in front of the department since last five days demanding his ouster over ‘verbal harassment’.

It may be recalled that Satpathy was in the eye of storm of the varsity authorities earlier in April this year after the former allegedly posted marks of some students prior to official publication of results.