30 former students of medical college speak out against pervert prof

Mirror report opens floodgate of complaints against head of Rajiv Gandhi College’s surgery dept

Lata Mishra

Over 30 former female students of Rajiv Gandhi Medical College in Kalwa have now come out of the woodwork to lodge complaints against the head of its surgery department, alleging sexual harassment by him; they have even formed a Whatsapp group to help each other. They were emboldened to do this after they read Mirror’s Saturday report about a dozen current MBBS students from the civic-run hospital complaining about the professor-surgeon (who denied all the allegations against him).
One of the former students, who is from the 2008- 2009 batch, told Mirror that there were several occasions when the professor touched her inappropriately, but she had kept quiet about the harassment for years. “But hearing that my juniors had dared to complain to the Thane police commissionerandtothedean,Idecidedto support them, having been a victim myself,” she said. The 30-odd ex-students from the institute are from various batches, from year 2006 through 2010; they are going to submit their letter of complaint to the dean.
Another ex-student alleged that theprofessorusedtotouchherprivate parts while she assisted him during surgeries.“Assistinginsurgerieswitha senior professor is a big thing for us. Every time he touched me, he would behave as though it had happened by mistake. But when I discovered that other students too had faced the same sequence of actions by him, I realised he is a pervert. But we did not complain as we feared he might fail us in our final exams and spoil our careers.” Some students did complain to the other doctors at the institute but they ed to form a group and meet the college dean, we have written a letter narrating whatever happened with us and so far 30 ex-female students have signed the letter,” said one of them.
Meanwhile, the anti-sexual harassment committee at the civic-run college is already inquiring into the matter.DeanDr.CMaitrasaidshehad also informed the Thane municipal corporation of the development so that a civic enquiry could be done too. When asked why the professor was not suspended yet, she said matters had escalated during the weekend but that some action would be taken on Monday, along the Vishakha guidelines stipulated by government.
The committee members who are enquiring into the matter are Dr. Meenal Patil and Dr. Sandhya Bhoir from the pathology department, Dr. DV Kulkarni and Mangesh Ghadge from the forensic department, warden Dr. Sunita Ubale, and Dr. Vivek Chinchorkar from the psychiatric department.
too would do nothing, given the accused’s seniority.
Now that they were out of the college, (which is attached to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj College in Kalwa), they did not fear anything but did not want the professor to continue to get away with his actions, said the former students. “That’s why we have decid-

The anti-sexual harassment committee at the civic-run college is already inquiring into the matter. (Below) Mumbai Mirror’s April 26 report
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