Maharashtra Shocker: ‘Treat Me As Your Friend,’ College Professor Tells Female Student As He Molests Her In His Cabin – Here's What Happened

Kolhapur: A shocking incident of sexual harassment involving a professor and female students has come to light at Kolhapur’s prestigious KIT College of Engineering. A case has been registered at the Gokul Shirgaon Police Station (under the Kolhapur Police Force) against the professor, who had reportedly been misbehaving with students for several days.

The matter was exposed after a victim mustered the courage to approach the police. This incident has sparked an outcry in Kolhapur’s educational circles.

According to available details, the accused has been identified as Saurabh Joshi. The complainant alleges that Joshi would unnecessarily "target" certain female students during class. He would then summon them to his cabin under the pretext of discussing studies or administrative work.

The victim alleged that he took advantage of the privacy in his cabin to engage in lewd behaviour and that he had behaved similarly with four to five other students.

The complainant, a native of Pandharpur currently studying in Kolhapur, is a second-year student in the Civil and Environmental Engineering department. Saurabh Joshi serves as the Head of Department (HOD) for the same wing.

According to the police reports, on January 20, Joshi came to teach chemistry to the victim’s class. During the session, he bombarded her with questions. When she was unable to answer some of them, Joshi summoned her to his cabin to discuss her studies. Once there, he allegedly tried to get close to her under the guise of offering "advice".

'Treat Me As Your Close Friend'

The victim further alleged that the professor discouraged her from befriending other students and insisted she message him instead. He reportedly told her to exercise and meditate, suggesting she share all her problems with him.

"Treat me as your close friend," he allegedly said while making inappropriate advances. The student also claimed the teacher pressured her to speak with him over the phone.

A few days later, Joshi summoned her to the cabin again and allegedly attempted to hug her. The victim reportedly shouted at him and fled the scene. Following this, the harassment intensified; when she refused to visit his cabin, he began targeting her during lectures.

Police Action

Unable to bear the harassment any longer, the student approached the Gokul Shirgaon Police Station. Based on her statement, the police have booked Professor Saurabh Joshi for molestation and under other relevant sections of the law.

The police are currently conducting an in-depth investigation to determine if more students have been victimised by the professor. The incident has sent shockwaves through the community, as it involves a senior faculty member at a highly rated institution.