Aligarh, September 1 (ZEENEWS.COM) A former girl student of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) began an indefinite hunger strike here on Thursday to protest the "indifferent" response of authorities to her allegation that a senior teacher had sexually harassed her.

Asma Javed, who failed to get admission to the PhD course this year, filed a complaint at the Civil Lines police station yesterday against Mohammad Shareef, a teacher in the Sanskrit department whom she has accused of harassing her. Shareef has already been suspended.

Javed, who began her protest in front of the Vice- Chancellor`s residence, is being supported by several student leaders.

Members of AMU`s women`s grievance cell, however, denied Javed`s accusation that the panel was trying to "whitewash" the matter and give a clean chit to Shareef.

Accusing Javed of falling prey to misguided elements "who are more interested in trying to exploit the situation and defame the institute", Amna Kishore, a member of the women`s cell, said, "we are determined to mete out justice in this matter but our task is now being complicated by the deliberate whipping up of public sentiments."

The women`s cell is currently probing Asma`s charges of alleged sexual harassment against Shareef as well as a foreign student`s complaint that a senior teacher of the law department had made "indecent sexual advances" against her.

Members of the cell have said they are not under "any sort of pressure" from AMU`s administration in conducting the probe. They said the cell was scheduled to hold "the final session" of its inquiry.

Addressing a press conference, three members of the women`s cell -- chairperson Shamim Jahan, Amna Kishore and Zakia Siddiquie -- expressed their displeasure at the aspersions cast on their inquiry into Javed`s allegations.

In a separate press conference, the AMU teachers association said an impartial inquiry is being conducted into the charges made by Javed and that the concerned teacher had been suspended.

"To pre-judge the matter before the inquiry is completed is absolutely unfair," said AMU Teachers Association Rizwan Ahmed.

Javed`s allegations have embroiled AMU in a fresh controversy barely six months after a 21-year-old student, Farah Khanum, alleged that she was threatened on the campus for wearing T-shirts and jeans.

Elections to the AMU Students Union are round the corner and several student leaders have pledged support for Javed`s protest.