Kerala University professor booked for alleged casteist remarks against research scholar
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): The head of the Sanskrit Department at Kerala University has been booked for allegedly making casteist remarks against a research scholar while refusing to sign his thesis, police said on Sunday.
Sreekaryam Police registered the case against C N Vijayakumari, Head of the Sanskrit Department and Dean of the Faculty of Oriental Studies at the university’s Kariavattom campus.
The case was registered based on a complaint filed by Vipin Vijayan, a native of Vanchiyoor and a research scholar in the department.
According to the FIR registered late Saturday night, Vijayakumari allegedly refused to sign Vijayan’s thesis after his open defence held on October 15.
Later, when Vijayan approached her again, requesting that she sign the document to complete his PhD process, the accused allegedly made casteist remarks in the presence of other teachers and students, the FIR said.
The complaint also alleged that Vijayakumari had been making similar caste-based remarks since 2015, when Vijayan began his M Phil at the Kariavattom campus under her supervision, FIR said.
The FIR stated that Vijayakumari allegedly told the complainant that people from lower castes could not learn Sanskrit and that she would clean her room with water after they entered.
Police said a case has been registered under sections 3(1)(r) and 3(1)(s) of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, that deals with the crime of intentionally insulting and abusing a member of the SC/ST community by caste name in public view.
Officials added that the offences are non-bailable, and a detailed probe will be conducted before deciding on her arrest.
Earlier, when the controversy broke out, Vijayakumari denied making any casteist remarks and claimed she had refused to sign the thesis as the researcher lacked sufficient knowledge of Sanskrit and his work contained several issues.
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Sex racket busted in Navi Mumbai; two girls rescued, one man arrested
Thane (PTI): Two minor girls were rescued after a prostitution racket was busted in Navi Mumbai, a police official said on Monday.
On a tip off about one Harish running a flesh trade racket, the Navi Mumbai Crime Branch started a probe on February 20, the official said.
"A decoy customer was sent to verify the information, following which a trap was laid in front of a hotel in Sector 11. The Anti Human Trafficking Cell nabbed Harish Vikas Chhari, a resident of Koparkhairane, while his associate Raj Singh is on the run. Two minor girls were rescued," the CBD Belapur police station official said.
A case has been registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the official added.
