State human rights panel visits CSI

Members of the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission visited the Church of South India Hospital, Bengaluru, School of Nursing following complaints of harassment by students and staff from the institute.

The commission’s members inspected the hostel and college premises and spoke to students and sought their statements with regard to the case.

One of the staff members and a student coordinator at the college, Hena Esther, had attempted suicide claiming that she was harassed by the principal, Amuda Sundari.

Following this, complaints were lodged at Shivajinagar police station against the principal by two staff members that they were manhandled on the college premises. The principal, in turn, lodged a counter complaint.

Esther had also told DH that students had submitted letters to her about the issues they were facing as she was the student coordinator. These included a shortage of uniforms, harassment for speaking to the opposite gender and also molestation by a doctor on the premises that they had to consult. However, repeated attempts to reach the management went in vain. Sundari denied these allegations citing that Esther had instigated the students to raise their voice against the management.

“The human rights commission visited the college today. I am on leave. My statement was not asked for,” said the principal. Esther’s services have been terminated.