AMID a high-decibel protest by members of the Congress-backed National Students Union of India (NSUI), the police on Friday afternoon arrested a senior professor of the prestigious Wilson College on charges of sexually harassing a student in August last year. He was later released on bail.
Physics professor Vilas Athawle (65) was paraded through the college campus by NSUI members, who blackened his face with shoe polish, made him wear a garland of shoes and dragged him to the Gamdevi police station by his collar.
The second-year junior college student reached the police station after Athawle and lodged her complaint. Athawle was booked for using criminal force with intent to outrage the modesty of a woman under the Indian Penal Code.
Later, after college professors complained to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone III) P R Dighavkar, the police arrested 45 NSUI members for unlawful assembly and rioting, who later got out on bail.
‘‘Prima facie, it appears that the girl had complained to the principal last year, which is why we have arrested him now. In cases involving female complainants, we rely a lot on the victim,’’ said Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Arup Patnaik.
Microbiology professor K Aruna was in the staff room having lunch. ‘‘One student came and asked Athawle to come out for a moment. Then, a mob of students dragged him out of the college,’’ said a shocked Aruna.
Athawle’s colleagues, including Vice-Principal P Parkar, allege that the NSUI is raising this one-year-old issue on purpose.
‘‘Two NSUI members had visited me a week back and asked us to admit five of their candidates. They are doing this because we did not give in,’’ said Parkar.
‘‘The students involved are not even from our college. They are fabricating stories about a man who has worked here for 27 years. Every lady professor here can vouch for his integrity.’’
NSUI members claim they took the law into their hands because the college didn’t take action against Athawle.
‘‘In August, the student’s mobile was confiscated by the college staff and she was told she would get it after a week. But Athawle told her she could get it for Rs 200,’’ alleged NSUI president Sadaf Amboli.
‘‘He asked her to meet him after class the next evening, took her to the botany lab and started talking about how professors in the US shared a free relationship with their students, even when it came to sex.’’
The vice-principal denied this. ‘‘Athawle had agreed to pay the Rs 200 fine and the student’s father came to the college to repay him. Athawle had counselled the girl after she had started to bunk important classes,’’ said Parkar.
* Although the incident may have taken place a year ago, the police complaint was only filed today and so the professor was arrested. There is a Supreme Court ruling placing strong emphasis on the complainant’s version of events. There is some prima facie evidence against the professor
— Police Commissioner A N Roy
* The incident happened a year ago, but the girl only had the courage to speak up now. Maybe, she only got enough support from others now
—NSUI General Secretary Sunnil Barabde
* The administration stands firmly by Athawle and the allegations are totally false
— Wilson College Vice-Principal P Parkar