PJTSAU Vice-Chancellor Aldas Janaiah summoned by women’s panel after sexual harassment complaint

The Telangana State Commission for Women on Monday summoned Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University (PJTSAU) Vice-Chancellor Aldas Janaiah in connection with allegations of sexual harassment levelled by an assistant professor at the university.

The Commission directed Mr. Janaiah to appear before it at 12.30 p.m. on November 12 (Thursday) to respond to the complaint.

The complaint was filed by an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Microbiology and Bioenergy. Addressing the media last week, she alleged that she had been harassed, body-shamed and intimidated. The complainant also said that she had approached senior police officials and the Women Safety Wing, seeking their intervention.

Earlier, several other professors and university staff members, however, disputed the complainant’s version, claiming that the allegations were fabricated or motivated. In a separate media address on November 7 (Saturday), they attributed the complaint to her alleged resentment towards Mr. Janaiah, who had recently transferred her to Nizamabad.