Suspended principal denies misbehaviour charges

 Anand Waddin, a suspended principal of a private business administration institute in Hubballi who was accused of misbehaving with girl students during an industrial tour to Goa, has refuted the allegations levelled against him. He said, the allegations are baseless and far from truth.

Speaking to reporters in Dharwad on Saturday, he said, a group of 49 BBA students, including 13 girls were taken to Goa on an industrial trip. Vice-principal Sherlie Ben and lecturer Gopal Biradar had accompanied them. After visiting a company on the first day, the students were taken to a private resort for stay. But a few girls complained that the resort was unfit for staying and demanded that they be shifted to some other resort. However, the faculty didn’t entertain their demand.

Some students, including girls, left the resort without permission late night. They hired 12 bikes and a four-wheeler and went roaming around Goa. Following their rash driving, the Goa police had even penalised the students and it was Biradar who brought them back to the resort after paying the fine to the police.

“Worried by the developments and students’ careless attitude, my colleague Sherlie Ben asked me to come to Goa and rein in the students. I, along with my wife, left for Goa the next day. However, after reaching Goa, it came to my notice that both boys and girls were drunk and were moving about ‘freely’,” said Waddin.

“I warned them (students) that their appalling behaviour will be brought to the notice of their parents. But the students didn’t heed warning and continued to party in pubs in Goa till late night,” he contended.

“The students got irked by my warning and hatched a conspiracy. Accordingly, they levelled false allegations against me and attacked me and my colleagues,” Waddin said.
Even his college management, without verifying the facts, suspended him from the job. “This incident was pre-planned and was targeted just to malign my image. I have filed a case against those who assaulted on him,” he said.

Waddin’s wife and other family members were present during the press meet.