In a significant escalation of the ongoing "love jihad" investigation, Lucknow's prestigious King George's Medical University (KGMU) has plastered notices across its campus, calling for anonymous complaints against any staff or individual involved in alleged forcible religious conversion. This move comes as the university is set to terminate a junior resident doctor who has been declared an absconder with a Rs 50,000 bounty on his head.
Expanded Probe and Anonymous Complaints
The university has broadened its investigative committee, originally formed under Dean of Paramedics and Senior Professor of Surgery, K K Singh. The panel now includes former Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police (DGP) Bhavesh Singh among its seven members. Initially, the committee solicited complaints via email but shifted to physical notices at hostels, faculties, and outside classrooms to encourage anonymity and overcome potential hesitancy.
"Some have alleged that faculty members too are involved in a conversion racket. These are serious allegations," stated Senior Professor K K Singh. He emphasized that the notice-based system was adopted because "people might be hesitant to reveal their identities." The committee is probing allegations of a wider network on campus beyond the primary accused.
The Case of the Absconding Doctor
The investigation was triggered by allegations against Dr. Nayak, a Junior Resident in the Department of Pathology enrolled in an MD program. He is accused of concealing his prior marriage, stalking a female junior resident, and threatening to make their relationship and videos public after she discovered his marital status. The woman, who has a good academic record, reportedly attempted suicide and was treated at the trauma centre.
KGMU's internal Vishakha Committee, which addresses sexual harassment, found Nayak guilty on these charges. The committee's report has been submitted to the Vice-Chancellor, paving the way for the termination of his services. Nayak attended a hearing but has been missing for over 15 days. "He has tarnished the image of the institution," Professor Singh remarked.
Parallel to the university's actions, the police have arrested Nayak's parents on January 5 on charges of forcible conversion and have initiated the process of seizing his properties in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, and Uttarakhand. Police are also searching for those who conducted his 'nikah' with a doctor from Agra, who has also levelled similar conversion charges.
A Campus Under Scrutiny
The atmosphere at KGMU, particularly in the Pathology Department, is tense. While colleagues described Nayak as academically sound and reserved, the notices have sent a chill down the corridors. The university administration had offered security accommodation on campus to the complainant and her parents, but they chose to return to their home state. The woman will participate in the ongoing inquiry over the phone.
Police are intensifying their manhunt. "Our first priority is to arrest Nayak. Different teams are spread out... conducting raids in Pilibhit, Shahjahanpur, and Delhi," said DCP, Lucknow West, Vishwajeet Srivastava. The university maintains it is acting within its rules, with the probe aiming to address serious allegations that threaten the century-old institution's reputation.
