Woman staffer's cries for help fell on deaf ears

Woman staffers cries for help fell on deaf ears

Pradeep Gupta | TNN

Ulhasnagar: My brother would have been alive if all the departments I wrote to complaining against my tormentor had acted and taken action against him, said Sangeeta Lahane,the inconsolable elder sister of Prashant Lahane,who died of immolation outside the Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation (UMC) on Tuesday.
Sangeeta said Prashant cared for her a lot and was depressed because of her continuous sexual harassment by UMC education department administrative officer S B Gaikwad.
Lahanes father,Sandulal,said: My daughter Sangeeta is the chief coordinator for physically handicapped persons in the UMC.Though she had written letters to all municipal departments,no one took any steps against Gaikwad,an administrative officer.He continued to sexually harass her.My son took the extreme step to seek justice for Sangeeta.
Gaikwad went to the extent of approaching some local politicians to malign Sangeetas image by making corruption charges against her.He threatened to throw her out of her job;taking the help of some corporators,he sought her suspension at a general body meeting of the UMC.
My son would tell me daily about getting justice for Sangeeta,but I never imagined him taking such an extreme step.