The Delhi University Teachers Association (DUTA) wrote to the Vice-Chancellor (VC) on Wednesday raising concerns over several cases of sexual harassment being reported from its colleges lately. Highlighting the violations in handling such cases surfacing from the DU campuses, the DUTA urged V-C Yogesh Tyagi to take the matter with the "seriousness" they deserve. "In many cases, the accused is in the position of authority, such as head of department or a principal, and therefore, is in a position to influence or intimidate the complainant or witnesses," the DUTA member said in the letter. Despite the university's directions, several colleges have not conducted elections for the posts of students'representative at the panel of their Internal Complaint Committees (IICs) as of now. "It is a violation of specific guidelines laid down by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in this regard," the DUTA said. "As a result, women students and employees are facing continued harassment, intimidation, and hostility in their workplace, which has vitiated the working environment for the entire university community," it said. Two female students - one from Daulat Ram College (DRC) and another from Bharti College - had filed sexual harassment complaints against their teachers in January and February, respectively. The cases triggered a spate of protests by students at the DU led by Pinjra Tod, a women's collective. Another case of sexual harassment was reported by two women, a student and a teacher, against the head of the university's chemistry department in March. PROTEST

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