A professor at a private college in Tirunelveli was arrested for harassing a female student by contacting her late at night and inviting her to drink alcohol. The police are currently searching for another professor implicated in this incident.
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The incident took place at the recently established government-aided Saint Xavier College in Palayamkottai, Tirunelveli. This college, which enrolls over 4,000 students, is known for its long-standing reputation and attracts students from various districts. The Palayamkottai campus, often called the Oxford of the South, is the main campus of this historic institution.
On the night of September 4, professors Jebastin (40) from Tiruchendur and Paulraj (40) from Thoothukudi, both from the Department of Sociology, were drinking alcohol at a hotel in Tirunelveli. In a drunken state, they called a student from their department late at night. Initially, Paulraj spoke obscenely to the student, and when Jebastin took over the call, the conversation continued in a similarly inappropriate manner. They also invited the student to join them for drinks. Disturbed, the student reported the incident to her parents, who promptly filed a complaint at the Palayamkottai Police Station on 5 September 2024.
In a surprising twist, the student’s parents requested the police to drop the case, citing concerns that pursuing the matter might negatively impact their daughter’s studies. Consequently, the police initially set the complaint aside.
However, after this information became public and organizations like Hindu Munnani threatened legal action if the professors were not arrested, top police officials took notice. Nellai City Commissioner Rupesh Meena personally oversaw the investigation, which confirmed that both professors had indeed made inappropriate calls to the student. Special Forces police arrested Jebastin the previous night, but Paulraj went into hiding upon learning of the impending police action. A manhunt is currently underway for him.
The Palayamkottai police have charged the two professors under sections 74, 75, and 79(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for their obscene behavior towards the student. The scandal has shocked both the academic community and students, given the college’s esteemed reputation. Additionally, there have been reports of previous complaints against some professors at Saint Xavier College, raising concerns that further revelations may emerge as the investigation continues.
(With Inputs From Dinamalar)
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