Head of the Botany Department, Gulbarga University, Kalaburagi, G.M. Vidyasagar, has lodged a complaint with the Gulbarga University Police Station against Professor, Department of Psychology of the university, S.P. Melkeri, for allegedly assaulting him in his chamber here on Tuesday.
In his complaint, Dr. Vidyasagar stated that Prof. Melkeri, who is an uncle of an M.Phil student, Shivakumar, in the Botany Department, barged into his chamber on Tuesday to enquire with him about his nephew’s harassment, and started abusing him and manhandled him.
According to the complaint, Prof. Melkeri threatened to kill him and his family members. He also mentioned in the complaint that a professor in the Botany Department, Pratima Math, provoked and instigated Mr. Melkeri against him. Meanwhile, a 2.09-minute video footage of the whole incident went viral in which Prof. Melkeri and Dr. Vidyasagar are seen exchanging heated arguments after which Prof. Melkeri loses his cool and slaps Dr. Vidyasagar. It shows staff members present in the chamber intervening and pacifying the two.
Dr. Vidyasagar speaking to The Hindu clarified that the incident took place on Tuesday and that he lodged the complaint the same day. He, however, declined to share any details about the incident as he did not have permission of the Vice-Chancellor. Meanwhile, the Vice-Chancellor of Gulbarga University was not available for comments.
Prof. Melkeri told The Hindu that Dr. Vidyasagar insulted Shivakumar in the presence of students. He said that Shivakumar was always “cornered” and he was depressed over the problems he faced in college as he was being tortured. Prof. Melkeri said that Dr. Vidyasagar had also threatened Shivakumar asking him to withdraw from the M.Phil programme.
