Delhi lab assistant case: Delhi government orders probe

The Delhi government Wednesday ordered a judicial inquiry into the death of Pavitra Bharadwaj, a former employee of Delhi University, who committed suicide alleging sexual harassment by the institute's principal.

"Retired Additional District Judge B.L. Garg will conduct inquiry into all aspects and circumstances leading to the incident of self-immolation by Pavitra Bhardwaj," a statement from the Delhi government said.

The report will be submitted in three weeks.

Bhardwaj, 40, was a former Ambedkar College lab attendant. On Sep 30, she set herself ablaze outside the Delhi chief minister's office and died of her injuries Monday.

She had alleged sexual harassment by college principal V.K. Arora, who has dismissed the charges.

On Tuesday, Delhi Education Minister Arvinder Singh Lovely had tried to brush aside a probe into the matter, saying an inquiry will be ordered if the complaint was found "substantial."

In her plea, the woman had said the college principal was sexually harassing her for four years and had even threatened to kill her son.

In her testimony before the sub-divisional magistrate, she alleged that the principal was asking for sexual favours and after she filed a complaint, she was fired for misconduct.