BARC scientist, Babita Singh, who went missing on Jan 23 to return on Friday night, alleges harassment at the nuclear research centre
Babita Singh's brother holds up a photograph of her. Pic/Sneha Kharabe
Babita Singh's brother holds up a photograph of her. Pic/Sneha Kharabe
Babita Singh, the 29-year-old scientist from Navi Mumbai who had gone missing on January 23 and was located to the Aurobindo ashram at Puducherry, has said that for five years she was handed only paperwork and was not allowed to do any scientific research work.
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Singh was brought to Mumbai late on Friday night by her fiancé Deepak Singh, where she gave her statement to the Nerul police, with whom her family had registered a missing person complaint. She also met some BARC officials.
Singh's brother Bharat said she told him this when she visited the family in UP on December 2. "She told me that her boss Viraj Laxmi Das had been harassing her and not letting her work and was keeping her busy with paper work. She dreamt of being a scientist, but after joining she was only given paperwork. That's why she ran away," said Bharat.
Moved to Mumbai
Babita had moved to Mumbai five years ago, after being appointed as a scientist with the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in Mumbai. She completed her MSc in bio-tech in 2011 from Hyderabad University. "Over five years, she went from a B-grade posting to C-grade and then to D-grade. She never told her family about the harassment she was facing at work," said Bharat.
Bharat said that on January 23, Babita had emailed her uncle, Vikas Singh, who saw it only on December 24. He immediately put the news of her going missing on social media. After the news went viral, Singh again contacted Vikas.
DCP speaks
Prashant Khaire, deputy commissioner of police, Zone 1 Navi Mumbai, said, "She returned safely and our officials took her statement. We have told her we will take action if she tells us about any harassment she faces at the institute. She has not said anything to us clearly yet." Singh's fiancé, Deepak, said she was depressed and not in a state to speak. He said the family had promised that they would approach the Mantralaya and other authorities to tell them about her harassment.
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