JNU sexual harassment case: Protests continue, students want suspension of accused professor

New Delhi: Hundreds of students of Delhi's prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) continued their protest demanding suspension if professor Atul Johri, who has been accused of sexually harassing several women students. 

A large number of students, holding placards and banners, today demanded the JNU administration to suspend the professor and bar him from entering the university.

''We want JNU to suspend him (Johri) and declare that he cannot enter University premises,'' the protesting students said. 

Delhi: JNU students protest for suspension of Professor Atul Johri on allegations of sexual harassment levelled against him. Students say,' We want JNU to suspend him & declare that he cannot enter University premises' pic.twitter.com/lFurpNUdjL

— ANI (@ANI) March 21, 2018

The Delhi Police had on Tuesday arrested professor Atul Johri for allegedly sexually harassing several women students. 

Joint Commissioner of Police (New Delhi Range) Ajay Chaudhary confirmed his arrest. 

He was later produced in a court. However, he was later granted bail by Delhi's Patiala House Court.

The students of the university had been demanding the arrest of the professor for a couple of days now. Students of School of Life Sciences, with which Johri is associated, had locked down the school demanding his arrest.

"Four days after eight women students came forward with sexual harassment complaints against the professor, no action has been taken against him and just one FIR has been lodged," Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) vice president Simone Zoya Khan had said earlier.

Besides the students, JNU professors too had been demanding action against Johri. 

Accusing the police of disregarding the procedures, 54 professors of the university had earlier on Tuesday demanded registration of separate FIRs on the basis of all eight sexual harassment complaints against him.

The police later registered multiple FIRs against Johri. 

(With Agency inputs)

"We have recorded the statements of the complainants. A few more female students have approached the police and levelled similar allegations against Johri. The investigation is being closely monitored by Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police Monika Bhardwaj," Chaudhary had said earlier.

Launching a massive protest, the students had raised slogans against the university officials and Delhi Police. 

A scuffle had broken out when some of them had tried to break the barricades put up by the police.

On the other hand, women rights organisations including All India Democratic Women's Association and All India Mahila Sanskritik Sanghatan had also held a protest on Tuesday outside the police station.

(With Agency inputs)