NEW DELHI – Indian Police on Saturday arrested a senior scientist at theNational Institute of Nutrition (NIN) in Hyderabad for sexually assulting aDalit student.

K Bhaskarachary (58), who was suspended by NIN last month, was arrested bypolice and later produced before a court, which sent him to judicialcustody.

Police said the scientist was booked on May 18 on a complaint by a secondyear student of MSc (Nutrition), who hails from West Bengal. He wasarrested after police conducted an investigation and collected the evidence.

Bhaskarachary, who was the student’s guide on dissertation, allegedlyharassed her with obscene messages and threatened her.

Assistant Commissioner of Police J Narsiah told reporters thatBhaskarachary was booked under the Scheduled Caste Scheduled Tribe(Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

NIN had suspended the scientist after the student complained and showed themessages sent to her by Bhaskarachary on WhatsApp. Director of NIN, RHemalatha, had constituted an enquiry committee to examine and recommendpunishment.

Bhaskarachary, who has been associated with NIN for over three decades, wasrecently made head of a newly-created department called Dietitics, whichspecialises in defining customised health foods to fight various lifestylediseases and maintaining a healthy life.

A Masters in Life Sciences and Ph.D. in Biochemistry, he is a Grade Escientist in NIN’s Food Chemistry Division.

Several nutritionists, dieticians, students of nutrition sciences and womenrights activists had been demanding the arrest of the accused. They hadalso signed an online petition seeking his dismissal.