Kannur University professor arrested for sexually assaulting PhD scholar

Kannur: Dharmadam Police arrested a Kannur University professor for allegedly sexually assaulting a PhD scholar at least three times.

The accused has been identified as Prof Kunhammad K K, head of the Department of Studies in English on the Dr Janaki Ammal Campus at Palayad in Thalassery.

The complainant is a PhD scholar of another teacher in the same department. An officer privy to the investigation said the professor allegedly assaulted the scholar in his chamber and also in a lodge in Thalassery.

On Tuesday, June 17, members of the university's Internal Complaints Committee (ICC) came to Dharmadam Station and reported the alleged crime, he said. "We arrested him Wednesday evening and pressed rape charges against him. The court remanded him in judicial custody for two weeks," the officer said. He was trying to escape in his car when the police intercepted and took him into custody, the officer said.

When contacted, Kannur University Registrar Prof Joby K Jose said the scholar had filed a complaint against her guide before the ICC. On Tuesday, the committee found the professor prima facie guilty and submitted a report to the Vice-Chancellor in charge, Prof K K Saju. "The VC immediately removed him from the post of HoD and suspended his PhD guideship," said Prof Jose.

After the ICC reported Prof Kunhammad to the police, the investigating officers took the student's statement and made some initial verification such as hotel check-ins before arresting him, the officer quoted above said. "The student is shattered and has gone into depression," he said.