Varanasi jail superintendent to face action over misconduct towards women officers

Lucknow: With the probe panel report finding him prima facie guilty of misconduct, workplace harassment, and gender discrimination, superintendent of the district jail, Varanasi, Umesh Singh is likely to face disciplinary action over alleged inappropriate behaviour towards women officers.The probe conducted by Uttar Pradesh Prisons Headquarters' Internal Complaints Committee has confirmed several instances of alleged misbehaviour, said an official.The allegations were raised by a deputy jailor, who previously served at Varanasi District Jail. In her complaint, filed on July 2, 2024, the deputy jailor detailed instances of misconduct by superintendent Umesh Singh, accusing him of disrespectful behaviour, gender discrimination, and verbal harassment in the workplace.According to the complaint, Singh allegedly engaged in a pattern of unprofessional and inappropriate behaviour towards women officers in the jail. The key accusations include improper handling of prisoners' clothing and belongings, leading to an unsanitary and disorganised jail environment; use of offensive and inappropriate language in conversations with women officers; making gender-discriminatory remarks, creating a hostile work environment for women; and exhibiting unprofessional body language, such as placing his feet on the table while addressing female staff.Following the complaint, several other female deputy jailors also came forward, confirming similar experiences of alleged misconduct by the superintendent.The committee concluded that the superintendent's actions amounted to unprofessional conduct, inappropriate language, and a clear violation of ethical workplace standards.His behaviour was deemed mentally distressing and emotionally harmful to the affected officers. Lucknow: With the probe panel report finding him prima facie guilty of misconduct, workplace harassment, and gender discrimination, superintendent of the district jail, Varanasi, Umesh Singh is likely to face disciplinary action over alleged inappropriate behaviour towards women officers.The probe conducted by Uttar Pradesh Prisons Headquarters' Internal Complaints Committee has confirmed several instances of alleged misbehaviour, said an official.The allegations were raised by a deputy jailor, who previously served at Varanasi District Jail. In her complaint, filed on July 2, 2024, the deputy jailor detailed instances of misconduct by superintendent Umesh Singh, accusing him of disrespectful behaviour, gender discrimination, and verbal harassment in the workplace.According to the complaint, Singh allegedly engaged in a pattern of unprofessional and inappropriate behaviour towards women officers in the jail. The key accusations include improper handling of prisoners' clothing and belongings, leading to an unsanitary and disorganised jail environment; use of offensive and inappropriate language in conversations with women officers; making gender-discriminatory remarks, creating a hostile work environment for women; and exhibiting unprofessional body language, such as placing his feet on the table while addressing female staff.Following the complaint, several other female deputy jailors also came forward, confirming similar experiences of alleged misconduct by the superintendent.The committee concluded that the superintendent's actions amounted to unprofessional conduct, inappropriate language, and a clear violation of ethical workplace standards.His behaviour was deemed mentally distressing and emotionally harmful to the affected officers.