Himachal professor held for making advances at student

SHIMLA - A senior professor in Himachal Pradesh has been arrested on charges of making advances towards a woman student, an official said Thursday.

V.S. Varwal of the Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry was arrested Wednesday, when a student who was doing her M.Sc in post-harvest technology complained, Superintendent of Police (Solan) Prem Thakur told IANS.

“The student alleged that Varwal made undue advances with the intention of outraging her modesty when she visited his room to discuss some research topics three days ago,” Thakur said.

Acting on the complaint of the student, police have booked the professor under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and have started investigations.

P.D. Bhardwaj, public relations officer of the university, said Vice-Chancellor K.R. Dhiman had ordered an inquiry into the matter.

“The Dean of the college of horticulture would conduct the inquiry into the allegations of the student,” he said.

This is the second such incident in the state this year.

A senior professor of the Chaudhary Sarwan Kumar Agricultural University in Palampur town was suspended in February for sending lewd messages via a mobile phone to his student.