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USM students allege harassment

BHUBANESWAR: Students of Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya (USM), Orissa’s premiere college of performing arts, locked their principal and teachers for more than three hours here on Friday accusing that two of the teachers were frequently passing lewd remarks at girls.

The students smashed office of the principal and damaged the notice board. A police team, led by Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), “helplessly” watched the violence from outside the college boundary for more than two hours but could not enter the educational institute as authorities were not allowed to lodge a complaint with the police.

After much persuasion, students opened the main gate but only ACP Nirmal Satpathy was permitted to mediate in the controversy at college’s auditorium hall.

A group of journalists, who were covering the incident, too sat among students while all teachers, including principal Sunil Singh Mahanta faced the barrage of accusations.

Students alleged that Chhau dance teacher Bhawani Biswal and drama teacher Sukesh Kumar Panda had been harassing girl students.

After hearing the complaints by students , the ACP urged principal Mr. Mahanta to intervene in the matter.

The latter promised that he would write to higher authorities against the two teachers.

Agitating students demanded that they would not relent if the two teachers were not suspended forthwith by the authorities concerned.

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