Ganderbal, Oct 2: The Central University of Kashmir (CUK) has relieved Dr. Chinnappan Baskar, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Chemistry, of all departmental and official assignments pending an inquiry into a complaint against him.
According to an order issued by the university, Baskar has been attached to the office of the Dean, Academic Affairs, with immediate effect.
The order also relieves him of all departmental responsibilities, including the headship of the Chemistry Department, pending completion of the inquiry.
The development comes a day after students at the university’s Nunnar campus staged a protest over allegations of inappropriate conduct and harassment of female students by a faculty member. The students had demanded action against the concerned faculty member.
The university order, however, refers to the matter only as a complaint against Baskar and does not specify its nature or detail the allegations.
Following the order, Dr. Prashant Kumar Gupta, Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry, has been nominated as the Coordinator of the department until further orders.
The allegations remain subject to the outcome of the inquiry.
