Jammu, Sep 14: Jammu University Teachers Association (JUTA) has been on a pen down strike for the past three days in the matter of death of their colleague Dr. Chandra Shekhar, Associate Professor of Department of Psychology who was found dead under mysterious circumstances in his chamber on September 7, 2022.

As per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), the whole teaching fraternity is in acute shock due to this unfortunate incident which is first of its kind in the entire history of University of Jammu, the JUTA today reiterates that justice should be delivered to the deceased colleague and demanded a thorough probe is needed to look into the circumstances which lead to this unfortunate incident.

The JUTA firmly stands for ‘Zero Tolerance against Sexual Harassment’ but the Rules and Regulations of JUICCASH should be followed strictly.

The JUTA feels that in this case, the respondent was neither heard nor given a copy of the complaint/notice.

The principle of natural justice was grossly violated. JUTA questions the ‘haste’ in which the suspension was ordered within six days of the receipt of the complaint, whereas, the regulations provide seventeen days to the respondent for giving his/her response to the complaint.

As the JUTA strongly believes and feels that the administration has failed to fix the responsibility of the procedural lapses, therefore, demands the CBI inquiry as the local police may come under pressure from various stakeholders in the University. It also demands the immediate removal of the officials at the helm of affairs from their respective positions.

Teachers of Jammu University have always nourished and nurtured its students even at the cost of their summer vacations for the last three years.

All the accolades which the University is bestowed upon are the results of untiring labour of the teachers. It is, because of the academic and research performance of the teachers that Jammu University is at all India Rank 56 of NIRF Ranking as well as possesses A+ NAAC Accreditation.

Jammu University Teachers Association has been toiling hard for the fair probe into the untimely and unfortunate demise of a senior colleague from the Department of Psychology. The JUTA met the Vice Chancellor with their demands but sadly all the requests were turned down by him categorically.

The Jammu University Teachers’ Association (JUTA) wishes to make this loud and clear that it will not stop our struggle till the truth about his death comes out. The Association has decided to extend the pen-down strike by another five days. kno