Kathmandu: A three-member committee formed to probe sexual and mental harassement charges against two Tri Chandra College teachers has found the two innocent, stating in its report that the victims had refused to cooperate with it.

The college had formed the probe panel acting on complaints from Masters (second year) students of the Tribhuvan University’s Central Department of Population Studies that the two teachers, deputed as invigilators at the August 28 Social Justice exam, had subjected them to mental and sexual harassment.

Shankar Bhandari, the assistant campus chief and the probe panel coordinator, today said since the victims refused to cooperate with the committee, they had no option but to prepare the report solely on the teachers’ statements. “During interrogation, the teachers said they were innocent and had only tried to conduct the exam in a disciplined environment,” he said. “We found the teachers not guilty.”

Bhandari said they have recommended the college administration to let the teachers, suspended for now, take classes but bar them from exam-related duties. The committee will submit its report to the college administration tomorrow.

Bhandari further said the accused will not be able to escape punishment if they are indeed guilty as the issue has become a national one.

Meanwhile, the girls described the report as one-sided. Purnima Neupane, a victim, said they refused to work with the committee as there was no guarantee of the victims’ security on campus premises.

“We had asked the probe panel members to quizz the teachers in presence of a representative from National Women’s Commission or any other organisation, but they paid no heed and said the internal matter of the campus should not be taken outside,” Neupane said.

She said the victims will fight together with NGOs for justice.

source: The Himalayan Times, 14 September 2011