Latest news with #POSH
The Hindu
2 days ago
- The Hindu
Odisha ‘sexual harassment' case: internal complaints committee report had not recommended any punitive action
The Internal Complaints Committee, constituted under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH), at F.M. Autonomous College in Balasore, Odisha, had not recommended any disciplinary action against the teacher accused of sexually harassing a student who later died after setting herself on fire. The ICC report, which recently came out in the open, said the panel did not find any conclusive evidence to substantiate the charges of sexual harassment. 'Students should strive to uphold the reputation of institutions and improve the quality of education by keeping a cordial relationship with teachers and they should not indulge in character assassination without any proof,' the report said. It said, 'Teachers should also closely study psychology of students and become compassionate in order to improve their academic growth.' The ICC, constituted under the leadership of Jayashree Mishra following allegations of sexual harassment against Samir Kumar Sahoo — Head of the Bachelor of Education department at the college, did not recommend any punitive action in its report. The student had allegedly taken the extreme step of setting herself ablaze after her repeated complaints against the teacher went unaddressed. Report contradictory The ICC report contradicted the statement of several ICC members who, after the student's death, said that they had recommended the removal of the accused teacher from his current position. However, the final ICC report made no mention of any transfer or removal of the teacher from the post of department head. The girl student's family members and friends and members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) — of which she was a member — alleged that even a temporary transfer or asking the accused teacher to go on leave, after her complaints, could have eased tensions and possibly prevented the tragedy. They further said that Sahoo influenced the outcome of the ICC inquiry by continuing in his role during the investigation. The report said that the ICC conducted a five-day-long investigation and recorded the statements of the student, her father, 60 other students and college teachers. Binaytosh Mishra, Director General of Police (Crime Branch), said there were discrepancies in the statements given by individuals connected to the case before and after the girl's death. He added that the Crime Branch, which is investigating into the incident, has gathered several key pieces of evidence and that the progress of the probe has been satisfactory.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- The Hindu
Odisha college committee exonerates teacher accused of sexual harassment, says deceased girl's allegations are baseless
The Internal Complaints Committee, constituted under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH), at F.M. Autonomous College in Balasore, Odisha, did not recommend any disciplinary action against the teacher accused of sexually harassing a student who later died after setting herself on fire. The ICC report, which came out recently, said the allegation of sexual harassment was baseless as the committee did not find any conclusive evidence to substantiate the charges. 'Students should strive to uphold reputation of institutions and improve quality of education by keeping cordial relationship with teachers and they should not indulge in character assassination without any proof,' the report said. It said, 'Teachers should also closely study psychology of students and become compassionate in order to improve their academic growth.' The ICC, constituted under the leadership of Jayashree Mishra following allegations of sexual harassment against Samira Kumar Sahoo — Head of the Bachelor of Education department at the college, did not recommend any punitive action in its report. The student had allegedly taken the extreme step of setting herself ablaze after her repeated complaints against the teacher went unaddressed. Report contradictory The ICC report contradicted the statement of several ICC members who claimed that they had recommended the removal of the accused teacher from his current position. However, the final ICC report made no mention of any transfer or removal of the teacher from the post of department head. The girl student's family members and friends and members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) — of which she was a member — alleged that even a temporary transfer or asking the accused teacher to go on leave, after her complaints, could have eased tensions and possibly prevented the tragedy. They further claimed that Sahoo influenced the outcome of the ICC inquiry by continuing in his role during the investigation. The report claimed that the ICC conducted a five-day-long investigation and recorded the statements of the student, her father, 60 other students and college teachers. Binaytosh Mishra, Director General of Police (Crime Branch), said there were discrepancies in the statements given by individuals connected to the case before and after the girl's death. He added that the Crime Branch, which is investigating into the incident, has gathered several key pieces of evidence and that the progress of the probe has been satisfactory.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Indian woman rejected her boss's romantic feelings — what followed left the internet stunned
In the middle of conversations around remote work boundaries and rising reports of workplace discomfort, a Reddit post by an Indian techie is drawing widespread attention for its raw and relatable account. The woman, employed by a small European firm with around ten employees, alleged that her manager–who also handles HR responsibilities–started acting out at work after she didn't reciprocate his romantic interest. Her post, shared anonymously on Reddit, has quickly gained traction, with several users calling it an alarming yet familiar example of emotional power misuse in informal workspaces. Confession, then control: Techie details shift in work behaviour According to the employee, things took a turn earlier this year during a regular one-on-one call when her boss unexpectedly confessed his feelings. She made it clear she didn't feel the same, and what followed, she says, was a subtle but continuous shift in his professional behaviour. 'Boss caught feelings, I didn't reciprocate – now my work life is a mess,' she wrote in the now-viral post. She alleged that he began showing signs of jealousy whenever she interacted with male colleagues and started checking in on her even when she was offline. 'He also seems jealous or uncomfortable when I speak to other male colleagues, even though he pretends not to care. He checks in on me randomly when I'm offline, asking if I'm okay or need anything. There's this weird emotional undercurrent, and it's honestly draining. ' Reddit post: Delay in salary and public blame, says employee The woman further claimed that her salary payments began getting delayed after the incident. She also accused her boss of assigning her tasks that were not part of her role and blaming her publicly in front of others for not following work protocols. 'It feels like he's using work to express his hurt or resentment,' she shared. Despite the discomfort, she said that she cannot leave the job at the moment due to personal responsibilities and the flexibility the current position offers her. 'There is no HR, he does HR work' One of the more concerning revelations came when a user asked her if she had reached out to HR. She responded, 'There is no HR, he does HR work, small company of 10.' Online users call it a POSH red flag Many users quickly connected the situation with familiar workplace harassment scenarios. 'This matches perfectly with the scenarios they show in POSH training,' one commenter noted. Some pointed out the challenges of reporting such cases when the manager is also the HR point of contact. 'The best thing for you would perhaps be preparing to leave. Since he is your boss, even POSH will not be taken seriously because HRs work for companies, not employees. Start preparing and switch if possible,' a user advised. Responses range from exit plans to caution Several users suggested immediate exit plans for the employee. 'Pick up your stuff and leave the company. It will become more toxic than ever. Protect your mental wellbeing,' one user commented. Another said, 'Get out while you still have some mental balance. Talk to him 1:1 and tell him he is being immature. If things don't improve, leave.' Some also shared their own experiences of similar dynamics. One user wrote, 'Okay. I've been in this situation. I confronted her, and then the games in meetings and lies started. You're not at fault. Till you find something else, stick to your work. Avoid unnecessary chats and build alliances that show why you're valuable to the company.'
NDTV
2 days ago
- Business
- NDTV
Indian Techie Claims Married Boss Made Work Life A "Mess" For Rejecting His 'Indirect Proposal'
An Indian tech professional has alleged that her European manager, who is married, began targeting her professionally after she rejected his romantic advances. In a viral Reddit post, the woman claimed that her married boss started delaying her salary and micromanaging her, turning her professional life "a mess." The employee, who works remotely for a small 10-employee company, alleged that her European manager confessed to having romantic feelings during a one-on-one call earlier this year. After she rejected him, he reportedly began throwing tantrums, negatively impacting her work life. "Turns out he got hurt & told somebody, and that somebody moulded his mind or something, that he should let me go, that now this boss is throwing all sorts of tantrums at me, questioning my every move, work, etc. He even remarked, she doesn't work, just clocks in on time. I don't know if the person suggested letting me go emotionally, or if this boss just doesn't have enough balloons to own his feelings & is trying all sorts to get me out of the job because I broke his heart. I just want to keep things professional," the post read. See the post here: Posts from the indianworkplace community on Reddit The woman further alleged that her manager displays jealous behaviour, particularly when she interacts with male colleagues. He frequently checks in on her when she's offline, questioning her well-being. Professionally, she has faced challenges, including delayed salaries, tasks outside her role, and public reprimands for mistakes she didn't make, suggesting that he's using work-related issues to express personal resentment. "Apparently, he may have developed feelings as early as December, and instead of handling it maturely, he's now making things difficult for me professionally. Earlier, he had given me a couple of days off without deducting leave — I thought it was because of my performance and loyalty, but now I wonder if it was something else," he added. Due to her current role's flexibility, which allows her to spend more time with her family, she's unable to consider switching jobs despite the toxic work environment. "I've held on to this job mainly because it's remote, gives me flexibility with family responsibilities, and is financially efficient (lower taxes, etc.). But this emotional back-and-forth is becoming unbearable. The job market is not great right now, so switching is tough," she added. Many expressed solidarity with her and criticised the company's handling of the situation. One user said, "The best thing for you to do would perhaps be to prepare for packing your bags from here and joining somewhere else. Since he is your boss, even POSH will not be taken seriously because HRs work for companies and not for employees. I know what I am suggesting sounds like running, but we are just bunnies in this world, and we gotta act in our interests. Start preparing and switch if possible." Another commented, "Pick up your stuff and leave the company, now it will become more toxic than ever with this in, protect your mental wellbeing." A third added, "Job switch is the only option. That is the sad reality."
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Health
- The Hindu
Odisha burn victim's condition stable, to be airlifted to Delhi
The health condition of a 15-year-old girl, who was set ablaze by unidentified miscreants in Odisha's Puri district, was stable on Sunday (July 20, 2025) morning, and she will be airlifted to Delhi, officials said. The incident took place on Saturday (July 19, 2025) morning on the banks of Bhargabi River near Bayabar village in Balanga police station when the girl was returning from her friend's house. The minor girl, with 70% burns, is stable and she is currently on oxygen support in the ICU and is responding, said Sanjay Giri, Head of Department of Burn Centre, AIIMS Bhubaneswar. "We are giving fluid treatment to the patient. A team of 12 doctors and two nursing officers are looking after the patient," he said. "The patient is stable and she is in a state where she can be shifted by airlifting. Maybe within two-and-a-half hours, we will shift her. This has been communicated to AIIMS Delhi. She will be taken on a special flight," AIIMS Bhubaneswar Executive Director Asutosh Biswas told reporters. For better treatment of the girl, AIIMS Bhubaneswar and the Odisha government had started holding discussions with AIIMS Delhi and patients' family members for airlifting her to the national capital, an official said. "Representatives of the government spoke with higher-level officials and we held discussions with AIIMS Delhi," Mr. Giri said. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Saturday (July 19, 2025) said that the state government was planning to airlift the minor to Delhi for better treatment. Mr. Majhi, however, said AIIMS Bhubaneswar authorities will take a decision considering her health condition. Also read: Odisha government expedites POSH implementation across State As the victim was able to speak on Saturday (July 20, 2025), the police have recorded her statement in the presence of a magistrate at AIIMS Bhubaneswar ICU, an official said, adding that her statement is vital for the investigation. Preliminary police investigation revealed that three motorcycle-borne youths intercepted the teenager, forcibly took her to the banks of Bhargavi River, poured an inflammable substance on her, and set her on fire. The miscreants fled the spot after setting the girl on fire, police said. Local people doused the fire and later took her to Pipili government hospital, from where she was shifted to AIIMS Bhubaneswar. The girl's mother has lodged an FIR with Balanga police station, officials said, adding the victim was a class 8 dropout and her father works at a motor garage.
