Probe Demanded into Death of AMU Professor

A day after the death of an AMU professor, university Teachers’ Association has demanded a high-level investigation into the alleged suicide by the teacher, whose homosexual behaviour was exposed in a sting operation recently, reported PTI.

“In view of the sensitive nature of the entire episode, an inquiry should be conducted either by CBI or a judicial officer,” AMUTA Secretary Jamshed Siddique was quoted as saying.

Srinivas Ramchander Siras, 62, a reader in Modern Indian Languages, was on Wednesday found lying on the bed in his private apartment outside the university after police broke open the door which was locked from inside.

He was suspended by AMU Vice Chancellor PK Abdul Aziz on charges of homosexuality at his house inside the campus after a TV channel conducted a sting operation on him.

Last week, the Allahabad High Court revoked the suspension and ordered his reinstatement after he filed an appeal against the university action.

AMUTA held an emergency meeting to take stock of the situation.

“We are waiting for the post-mortem report to ascertain whether it was a case of suicide or natural death. But one thing is clear, he was subjected to severe harassment by the university authorities and was under intense mental pressure,” Siddique was quoted as saying.

“To suspend a professor without inquiry is unjustified and is another example of the high-handed behaviour of the vice chancellor,” he was quoted as saying.

AMU spokesperson Rahat Abrar, however, denied the charges of harassment, said report.

“The university had fully complied with the high court order pertaining to his suspension,” Abrar was quoted as saying.

He added that his reinstatement order could not be handed to Siras as he was out of town.

While Abrar said the withdrawal of suspension order was issued on April 5, Chairman of the Modern Indian Languages Professor Sheikh Mastan said that he had no such information till this morning, report said.

When Mastan was given a copy of the letter by the university registrar shortly before noon, he refused to accept it in back date.

AMUTA described the serving of the order was as a ‘drama’ to cover up the ‘lapses’ by the university authorities, report said.