Days after a post-graduate medical student of SV Medical College in Tirupati, who had accused three professors of sexual harassment, allegedly took her own life, the institute's principal was replaced by the Andhra Pradesh government on August 8.

The 30-year-old student took her life at her home at Pileru town in Andhra Pradesh’s Chittoor district. The student had accused three professors from the Paediatric department of sexually harassing her. She had also earlier written to Governor ESL Narasimhan seeking his intervention and action against the three professors. 

Following her death, the committee constituted by the state government and headed by Director of Medical Education K Babji, visited the college and spoke to the students on August 7. The panel recommended that two of the three accused doctors, Dr Kireety and Dr Sasikumar, be transferred pending enquiry. It also extended the suspension of Dr Ravi Kumar, the third accused, till the investigation was complete, 

The student’s death triggered massive protests at the college. Students staged a sit-in inside the college premises demanding that action be taken against the professors. When the results to post-graduate examinations that were held earlier this year, the student did not get passing marks. She had told her friends that she felt she was being deliberately failed because she lodged the complaint against her professors.

Based on her complaint, the Governor had ordered an inquiry following her charges and the college management had formed a committee to look into the issue. However, no action had been taken by the committee. The student’s relatives have alleged that the inquiry committee had not submitted its report and the three professors had gone to the media describing her as mentally unsound. They said the attitude of the professors had caused her mental agony and drove her to take this drastic step.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has also taken note of the incident and has ordered for a detailed enquiry. In a representation to the CM, a letter by a student said, “I am happy that you are particularly very serious on this issue, but your sub authorities, our professors including our SVMC principal are not. Rather they are interested in protecting the culprits. Before the issue gets politicised, please take appropriate action immediately and do justice.”

This story was originally published on The News Minute and is reprinted here with permission. It can be viewed on https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/sexual-harassment-ap-medical-college-principal-transferred-panel-begins-probe-86227