In a disturbing incident at Swami Arupananda Educational and Vocational Higher Secondary School in Kurtanga, Raghunathpur block, Jagatsinghpur, Odisha, a Plus-II Science student accused mathematics professor Saswat Mohanty of sexual harassment.
The incident, which allegedly occurred in January 2025, was kept under wraps for seven months until it came to light on July 18, 2025. Following a thorough investigation prompted by a social worker’s complaint, the District Magistrate, J. Sonal, directed Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM) Prashant Kumar Tarai to suspend both the accused professor and the college principal, Ramesh Chandra Sahu, on July 21, 2025.
The case surfaced when the victim submitted a three-page complaint to the principal on January 15, 2025, detailing the alleged misconduct by Professor Mohanty. The college formed a committee, comprising two male professors and one female professor, to investigate the matter. On January 27, 2025, the committee’s report confirmed the allegations’ veracity, leading to a show-cause notice issued to Mohanty on February 12, 2025.
Despite a reminder notice on March 13, 2025, Mohanty failed to provide a satisfactory response. Reports indicate that the professor admitted his fault and apologised to the minor student, and the college authorities facilitated a written “compromise” agreement on April 2, 2025, allegedly under pressure or persuasion.
The issue gained traction when Sarita Mahapatra, a prominent social worker from Raghunathpur, lodged a complaint through the Chief Minister’s grievance portal and the District Magistrate’s office, demanding justice for the victim. The Chief Minister’s office instructed the District Magistrate to investigate and submit a report within three days.
Following an inquiry, SDM Tarai held a closed-door meeting with the principal and the accused professor but found their explanations inadequate, leading to their immediate suspension.
The incident has sparked outrage across various sections of society, with many criticising the college for suppressing the case for months. Senior advocate Rabindra Mohanty emphasised that under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, such cases cannot be resolved through compromise, and the college principal was legally obligated to report the incident to the police immediately. Failure to do so could implicate all involved parties, he noted.
This case follows a wave of similar allegations in colleges across Odisha, highlighted by the recent Soumyashree incident at a Balasore college.
The public and activists are now demanding stricter action against the accused and systemic reforms to ensure the safety of students in educational institutions.
