Sambalpur, July 18: A major controversy has erupted in Odisha’s Sambalpur following the arrest of Gopikant Suna, an Asst Professor at Gangadhar Meher University, in connection with a student harassment case.

The incident has taken a political turn after photos and reports surfaced indicating the professor's close association with members of the Biju Chhatra Janata Dal (BCJD), the student wing of the ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD).

According to sources, Asst Prof Suna was actively involved in various BCJD events and party activities. His presence alongside prominent BCJD members has been documented in multiple photographs, which have now gone viral on social media.

These revelations have intensified demands for strict action against him, not just for the harassment charges but also for alleged misuse of his position through political affiliations.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), a prominent student organization, staged a protest in front of GM University demanding accountability and transparency. ABVP state general secretary Swetanshu Sekhar Barai led the demonstration, calling for immediate disciplinary action against the Asst Professor and questioning the university's silence on the matter.

Protesters also burned effigies of BJD and BCJD leaders, accusing them of shielding individuals with political ties despite serious allegations. The incident has sparked widespread outrage among students and civil society, who are demanding a thorough investigation and institutional reforms to prevent such abuses of power.

Notably, accused Gopikant Suna, an Assistant Professor in the Department of Education at GM University, was arrested and forwarded to the court yesterday after a second-year BA BEd female student lodged a complaint at the Mahila Police Station here, accusing him of sexual exploitation under false promises of marriage.

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