The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Royal University of Bhutan (RUB) under the instruction of the Vice Chancellor Nidup Dorji has sent its own team to Sherubtse to conduct its own investigation and collect any additional information and facts.
The VC said that the team was supposed to go on 17th October but was delayed by a few days due to the heavy rains and road blocks at Nganglam and Namling. The RUB looked at the Druk Air option to fly to Trashigang but the flight had been fully booked.
Finally, the team opted to go via Zhemgang but was stuck for a day or so due to blocks at Pemagatshel.
The team was expected to reach the college by Saturday.
The VC said, “My instruction is to listen to the girls carefully and see whether everything has come out or not and if there is further evidence.”
“We will accordingly take action on that and perhaps involve law enforcement agencies if there is anything criminal in nature as such a matter has to be forwarded to them after establishing the issue,” he added.
The investigation committee of the RUB will be headed by an officer who looks after student services and will comprise of a legal officer, Chief HRO and a lady HRO officer.
The VC said that the lady HRO was included as the girls may find it more comfortable to talk.
The RUB has already been sent all the evidence that was received during the investigation by the Sherubtse College and so this committee will collect additional statements and evidences.
In the meantime, the paper talked to one of the victims and she said that as of now everything is normal at the college.
There has been much outrage after this paper brought out the fact that despite being accused of harassment by 10 female students with evidence, the assistant lecturer Dorji Phuntsho only faced withholding of promotion by three years.
The lecturer asked girls to go on late night car rides, made inappropriate comments, engaged in body shaming and also carried on the harassment in class according to the girls. They also alleged that the marks were not given in a fair manner and he did not conduct himself professionally in class.
One of the girls had suicidal thoughts while another had panic attacks and many of them avoided his class.
Subsequently, a former student from College of Language and Culture Studies (CLCS) in Taktse also alleged the same against the assistant lecturer and she had a chat history that showed the lecturer accepting he dated and kissed a student there.
An allegation also came up against the lecturer while he was a history teacher at Paro Yozerling Higher Secondary school.
The lecturer completely denied the CLCS and Paro case while saying that he meant a group car ride in Sherubtse though the messages clearly shows him meaning a solo ride late at night.
