Mangaluru, April 6 (IANS): The victims in a case of sexual harassment in the workplace involving the district leprosy officer here have complained that they were being harassed for complaining against him.

The victims have demanded the appointment of a female superior officer, sources in the health department said on Tuesday.

The accused nodal officer, Dr Ratnakar, was arrested and suspended based on the report by a committee of the state health department in November, 2021 after the issue came to light. Meanwhile, the accused had approached the Karnataka Administrative Tribunal (KAT) and got the suspension lifted.

Dr Ratnakar

However, even as the accused doctor allegedly attempted to get back the posting in Dakshina Kannada district, the senior officers in the health department did not entertain his move considering the seriousness of the matter. He was transferred to Kundapur town, according to sources.

Presently, an in-charge officer has been appointed in his place and this officer is allegedly harassing the victims, who are also employees of the health department.

The accused doctor, working as a nodal officer for Leprosy Eradication Wing in Dakshina Kannada district was arrested after a social activist lodged a complaint against him at Mangaluru Women's Police station.

The photos and videos of the accused flirting with female colleagues at the office had gone viral on social media then. The female colleagues alleged that if they didn't cooperate with him, he tortured them. They also said that he forcefully took them on tours and forced them to pose for photographs while he flirted with them.

The victim's colleagues had told the police that they would come forward to cooperate with the police during the time of investigation.

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