IIT-Roorkee professor axed for sex harassment

ROORKEE: In a first in the history of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee, a senior professor was dismissed from service following allegations of sexual harassment filed by a PhD student.

Professor Zillur Rahman, 60, of the department of management studies was sacked after an internal inquiry, confirmed sources at the institute.

Rahman served as the head of the department of management studies and taught marketing management at IIT-Roorkee.

He was supervising more than 15 research scholars at the time of his dismissal.

Authorities handed over the dismissal letter to Rahman on Monday evening. On Tuesday evening, the institute released a statement, saying: "A faculty member has been dismissed from service following the conclusion of disciplinary proceedings against him."

Sources said the PhD student submitted the sexual harassment complaint to the authorities in January. Though the institute gave Rahman two opportunities to present his case, the Board of Governors (BoG), in its meeting on April 15, approved his dismissal.

A senior faculty member, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, "A complaint was filed by a woman student alleging harassment by Prof Rahman, following which his dismissal from service was confirmed. This is the first instance in the institute's history in which a faculty member was dismissed."

Rahman did not respond to phone calls when TOI called him for his comment. A source close to him said he would challenge his dismissal in the high court.

Rahman, who completed all his academic degrees up to PhD from Aligarh Muslim University, served as the head of the department of management studies and taught marketing management at IIT-Roorkee. He was supervising more than 15 research scholars at the time of his dismissal, and the academic future of these students remains uncertain.