Vadodara, Jan 12: An associate professor of a university in Gujarat's Vadodara has been arrested for allegedly stalking and intimidating a woman student, police said on Sunday.

Mohammed Azhar Dheriwala, an associate professor of Hindi at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda (MSU), allegedly harassed the student and threatened to end her career, an official from Sayajigunj police station said.

Dheriwala, who has been associated with MSU for 23 years, was arrested on Saturday night.

Police inspector Z N Dhasura said the accused was earlier suspended based on the recommendation of the University's internal complaints committee (ICC) of the women's grievance redressal cell (WGRC) after another student accused him of sexual harassment.

The complainant, a second-year Master of Arts student, has alleged that Dheriwala approached her on the afternoon of January 4 and asked her to accompany him to his house.

When she refused, he allegedly threatened to end her career and even followed her to her residence, she stated in her complaint.

Dhasura said a case was registered under sections 78 (stalking), 352 (intentionally insulting someone to provoke a breach of peace) and 351 (2) (criminal intimidation) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS).

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Shirdi, Jan 12: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said veteran politician Sharad Pawar played politics of betrayal and treachery in Maharashtra from 1978, which was ended by BJP's massive victory in the assembly polls with its resolve to establish a stable government.

Addressing a state BJP convention in Shirdi, Shah said the people of Maharashtra showed Pawar, who heads NCP (SP), and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray their place by rejecting the politics of dynasty and betrayal in last year's elections.

Citing differences between Congress and allies in Delhi, West Bengal, Bihar, and Maharashtra, Shah said the decline of the opposition INDI block has begun.

"Sharad Pawar started politics of 'daga-phatka' (betrayal and treachery) in Maharashtra in 1978, which was rejected by people in 2024 (elections). Similarly, the politics of the dynasty and the betrayal of Uddhav Thackeray was also rejected. People showed Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray their place in 2024 polls," Shah said.

Noting that the BJP's victory in Maharashtra will have long-term consequences, Shah said the historic win shattered the INDI alliance's confidence.

He said the BJP will win the Delhi assembly elections next month hands down.