‘Prof Johri’s presence threatening’

New Delhi: A group of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students on Thursday night filed a police complaint accusing the varsity administration of shielding their professor, who is  facing sexual harassment charges.

Alleging that they are “threatened” with his presence on the campus, the students have also sought protection from the police in their complaint against JNU professor Atul Kumar Johri. “We, the students of school of life sciences, are feeling threatened. The presence of the accused in the premises is making it a distressing environment. He is coming to school premises daily for past three days,” they said in the complaint filed at Vasant Kunj police station on Thursday night.

A police official said they have received the complaint, but no FIR has been registered yet. “We are looking into the issue.”     

On Wednesday, Delhi high court Justice Rajiv Shakdher directed the JNU to initiate a probe against Prof. Johri. “Can’t you (JNU) advise him to stay outside the campus till the enquiry is completed? Can’t you treat the representations as complaints? The core issue is that the students should feel safe in the campus. I am not saying you completely trash the professor. Take his defence give him a preliminary hearing. Do something, you can’t expose your students like this,” the court also said.

The court also asked the Delhi police to show the statements of students recorded before a magistrate to the JNU vice-chancellor so that he can initiate preliminary enquiry against the professor.

The police complaint by the students alleged that the V-C was “providing the accused with security guards”. “This shows how he is being shielded and allowed to create an environment of intimidation for safety of victims,” it said.