Jai Hind College suspends visiting faculty member for harassing students

Mumbai's Jai Hind College has removed a visiting faculty member after allegations that he came to class drunk and misbehaved with students.

The temporary teacher, Kaartikeya Bajpai, is the founder and former editor of an online magazine called The Bombay Review, according to Mid-Day. He resigned in 2018 after allegations of sexual misconduct and sexist behaviour.

Bajpai was a visiting faculty member at the college's Bachelor's of Mass Media department. Mid-Day reports that he "allegedly came for a lecture inebriated, spanked a male student, cursed in front of the class, flipped his finger at them, 'tucked a student's hair behind her ear and smelt her hand', earlier this month".

The incident reportedly took place on February 8.

The report quoting Jai Hind College's principal, Ashok Wadia, as saying: "He was a visiting faculty but we take responsibility (for the incident). It is very important that students and parents trust us...Yes, a background check should have been done. We are now making sure that every new hire is scrutinised."