Harassment: Railway women depose before enquiry panel

After the complaint against Senior Section Engineer V Manivannan, the divisional railways established a five member panel to probe the issue and out of the total 18 women victims, nine led by the main complainant Bavitha appeared before the committee headed by the Chairperson of Prevention of Women Harassment, Dr Lakshmi. 

Initially, the main complainant Bavitha deposed before the inquiry committee that lasted at least two hours. It is said, Bavitha elaborated the ordeal that the women employees had encountered in the railway division. Later, Bavitha gave a written statement to the officer. 

Meanwhile, the officials asked the other eight complainants and Bavitha to be present on Tuesday also. In the meantime, the DREU condemned the divisional railway authorities for conducting an inquiry without suspending Manivannan as only then, a fair inquiry would take place. 

It may be noted that on September 18, eighteen grade IV women employees had lodged a complaint with the DRM, Tiruchy, against Manivannan, a senior section engineer from Mayiladuthurai section coming under Tiruchy Railway division, in which, the women alleged that the section engineer was in the habit of seeking sexual favour from the women employees and ill-treating them.