Shocking! Lady professor in Tamil Nadu attempts to lure girls

MADURAI: Seven hours after they knocked on the doors of assistant professor Nirmala Devi, who allegedly tried to lure some girl students to do sexual favours for higher officials in Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU), police broke into the house and arrested her in the evening on Monday. She was taken to the Aruppukkottai town police station.
Nirmala Devi, who taught in Devanga Arts College at Aruppukkottai in Virudhunagar district, allegedly tried to lure a group of four BSc final year students when she went to MKU last month for a refresher course.

The girls filed a complaint with the college management on March 19, based on which the faculty member was placed under temporary suspension on March 21. The incident came to light again as the 20-minute conversation — in which she is heard allegedly trying to convince the young girls to do sexual favours to get marks and financial support — went viral on social networking sites.

Nirmala Devi locked herself up when she found a posse of police personnel posted outside her house at Chokkalinga Nagar at noon.

Around 7pm, police forced themselves in and took her away. The Aruppukkottai town police registered a case under IPC Sections 370 (buying or disposing of any persons as slaves) and 511 (attempting to commit offence punishable with imprisonment for life or other imprisonment). She was also booked under Section 65 of the Information Technology Act. The case was based on a complaint from college secretary R Ramasamy.

District superintendent of police M Rajarajan said they will find out why she tried to lure the girls and who else is involved. She will be remanded in judicial custody after interrogation.

The victims too will be questioned soon, he said.Police sources said Nirmala Devi completed her graduation from Devanga College itself and did her research in MKU. Her husband Saravana Pandi was a civil contractor and she had two daughters, the elder one studying MBBS in Chennai.

Earlier in the day, MKU vice-chancellor P P Chellathurai announced an inquiry by a five-member committee led by senate member Lellis Thivakar. He said that although the incident took place last month, the university had not been informed by the college. He said the university had a tamper-proof system in place and no paper could be traced to alter the marks. Nirmala had told the students in the conversation that they could get 85% marks in return for certain favours.

Opposition parties reacted strongly to the developments. “Since a teacher, who has to impart education, has tried to spoil the life of students, the probe into the matter should be handed over to the CBI under the supervision of the high court,” DMK working president M K Stalin tweeted.

PMK youth wing leader and Lok Sabha member Anbumani Ramadoss also sought a CBI probe. “The shocked students are heard saying in a broken voice that they are not interested in the proposal. Undeterred, the professor tells the students that if they agree to the proposal the students can achieve anything,” Ramadoss said.

The CPM wanted all sections of society to protest against the incident.

“The issue has shaken the state. People must raise their voice against such issues happening in Tamil Nadu. Students, youth, women and others must come out and protest,” said party state secretary K Balakrishnan.