Sexual Harassment Case against seminary librarian, principal

Madurai, Apr 12 (UNI) A case of sexual harassment has been registered against the principal and librarian, both pastors as well, of the Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary (TTS), a renowned pastoral college of protestant church denominations, in the city today.

This followed a complaint lodged last week by a woman employee against the two, J E Augustine, the librarian, and Mohan Larbeer, the principal.

Sections three and four of the Tamil Nadu Prevention of Sexual Harassment against women have been invoked against the two.

Incidentally, the complainant Pandiyammal, is a Dalit, belonging to the Arundhathiyar community.

According to the FIR, the complainant was working in the institution for 15 years and her services were regularised only recently. On being shifted to the library, she was asked to do menial works including sweeping, though she had completed a certificate course in computers.

Further, the librarian continued to harass her sexually and threatened if she refused to yield to his carnal desires.

According to the FIR, twice she had taken this to the notice of the principal, who had not only disregarded the gravity of the issue but advised her to 'adjust' instead of creating a problem.

Some staff and students at TTS, however, maintained that Pandiyammal had gone public only after she was terminated from service on disciplinary grounds. In their opinion she had become a tool of certain castes and communal elements to tarnish the image of the institution, which had a long heritage and history.

UNI