Panel to probe UoP faculty row

Vice-chancellor WN Gade said,“A three-member panel headed by professor Arul Adsool has been set up. Other members include Shruti Tambe from the Sociology Department and KR Gawai from the Chemistry Department. They will come up with a report in 15 days. Till then professor Santosh Kamle,the accused in the case has been asked to go on leave. Vishnu Patkar,who was allegedly beaten up,had submitted his resignation to the head of the Physical Education department,but it has not reached me as yet. I will take a decision on this issue tomorrow.”

He further added that the decision of setting up the panel has been communicated to the students who had gathered outside the V-C’s office to agitate. “They seem to be happy with the decision. I hope they will all attend regular classes from tomorrow,” he said.

Students and faculty member of physical education departments of eight colleges met Gade and submitted a petition demanding Kamble’s suspension.

Earlier in the day,the Scheduled Castes committee of the State Legislature held a meeting with the V-C at the Board of Colleges and University Development (BCUD) office.

Chairman of the committee,Ramesh Bagwe,and 10 other committee members were present in the meeting.

When asked about the proceedings of the meeting,both Gade and Bagwe declined to comment saying the meeting is confidential and its contents are to be disclosed only to the Legislature. They also denied there was any discussion on the issue of the ongoing problems of the physical education department in this meeting.