Indira Gandhi University don booked for ‘stalking’

Ravinder Saini

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Tribune News Service

Rewari, September 5

Making a video of candidates selected for the post of assistant professor and posting it on social media has cost Dr Balkar Singh, suspended assistant professor with the History Department, Indira Gandhi University Meerpur, Rewari, dear.

The police have booked him under Section 354-D (stalking) and 354-C (voyeurism) on the complaint of a candidate. This is the second case registered against Balkar during the past one-and-half months.

Earlier, he was booked on charges of house trespass and threatening of kin of the university Registrar Madan Lal at his residence in Rohtak on July 19. Following that, the authorities had placed him under suspension.

The complainant said that she, along with three other candidates, was sitting at the Registrar’s office in the university after getting a call for joining as assistant professors on June 13 when Balkar Singh entered the room and started making their video on his mobile phone.

He even threatened us that he would call mediapersons, while “staring at us with bad intention”, she alleged.

“We all went back in the evening after the joining but later learnt that Balkar had posted this video on social media. He uploaded another video on Facebook wherein he is levelling false allegations and making a statement about our appointments. This act not only forced us to face tremendous mental stress but also vitiated our social image. Hence, appropriate legal action be taken against Balkar,” she said in the complaint.

Meanwhile, Balkar denied the charges and accused the university authorities of implicating him for exposing its ‘misdeeds’ in the appointment of assistant professors.

He said the same complaint is being inquired into by internal committee on sexual harassment (ICSH) of the university and the inquiry is yet to be completed.

“I had made the video to expose the irregularities in the appointments as selected candidates were summoned for the joining before the end of the meeting of the executive council (EC) which declares the names of selected candidates officially. Thereafter, the candidates are called for joining,” Balkar added.