The Hindu : National : Austrian lecturer complains of abuse

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Tuesday, Sep 12, 2006
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Austrian lecturer complains of abuse

Special Correspondent

KOLKATA: A three member inquiry committee has been set up by the Vishwa Bharati University authorities in Santiniketan in West Bengal to probe complaints of an Austrian national, Andrea Losaris, a lecturer in the university's department of Indo-Tibetan studies, who has accused two of her colleagues of physically and verbally abusing her on Sunday. The committee has been asked to submit its report by Thursday.

The Austrian Embassy in New Delhi, which has been informed of the incident, has assured Ms. Losaris "all consular help" which Austrian nationals in the country are entitled to, a spokesman of the Embassy told The Hindu on Monday.

Ms Losaris, who joined the department in June, shot off a letter to the university registrar containing the allegation and also filed a complaint with the local Bolpur thana. The two teachers against whom the complaint has been made have been verbally asked to stay away from the department till the committee report is submitted, official sources told The Hindu on Monday.

Ms. Losaris also paid a visit to the Bolpur hospital for a medical examination as required by the police. The university has a few foreign nationals among its lecturers.

The Vice Chancellor, Rajat Kanta Ray, who is in Delhi for a meeting with President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam who is also the Visitor of the university, has taken a serious view of the incident and asked the Registrar, S.N. Sarkar, to institute an immediate inquiry into the allegations, the university's public relations officer, Amitabha Chowdhury, said.

The inquiry being held by the committee will not come in the way of investigations being carried out into the incident by the police, Mr. Chowdhury said.

The two faculty members against whom the allegations have been levelled have also lodged a counter-complaint with the police against Ms. Losaris.

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