In a disturbing turn of events, a 21-year-old male college student in Odisha’s Jajpur district has filed a formal complaint accusing his Head of Department (HoD) of repeated sexual harassment. The incident has sparked outrage, coming close on the heels of another high-profile harassment case in Balasore.
The complainant, a third-year Political Science student, has alleged that his HoD, Niranjan Panda, engaged in persistent inappropriate behaviour and solicited sexual favours in exchange for better academic grades.
According to the student’s written complaint submitted on Saturday, Panda had also invited him to his residence multiple times and issued threats of academic retaliation if the student refused to comply. The most recent incident, as per the complaint, occurred on July 16, when the HoD allegedly issued threats in front of two witnesses.
In response, the college administration has formed a five-member internal inquiry committee, tasked with submitting its report by Monday, July 21. Local police have also been notified, and an investigation has been initiated.
Notably, this is not the first time Niranjan Panda has faced such charges. In 2021, he was arrested in a similar case involving male students but was later released on bail and reinstated to his academic post.
This development comes just days after a female student at Fakir Mohan Autonomous College, Balasore, attempted self-immolation on campus after accusing her HoD of sexual harassment. She later succumbed to her injuries at AIIMS Bhubaneswar, prompting statewide protests and calls for stricter institutional safeguards.
The Jajpur case has once again brought into sharp focus the urgent need for systemic reforms, gender-sensitive grievance redressal mechanisms, and a zero-tolerance policy toward all forms of harassment in Odisha’s educational institutions.
