Guwahati: The Assam Police on Tuesday arrested the dean of prestigious Indian Institute of Technology in Guwahati, Alok Kumar Ghoshal, on charges of rape with his assistant in the chemical engineering department of the college.

The senior superintendent of city police Mr Anand Prakash Tiwari, who was supervising the investigation, told Deccan Chronicle, “We have arrested the IIT professor Mr Ghoshal today after a thorough and careful investigation of the case.”

Informing that police have prima-facie evidence of sexual assault with the victim, Mr Tiwari said, “We need custodial interrogation of the accused professor as he is arrested under the section 376 of IPC.”

"Mr Ghoshal seems to be a habitual offender. We are looking into the other aspects of the case,” he added.

IIT- Guwahati management has also been informed about the arrest and has suspended the professor following his arrest.

The police have recorded the victim’s statement and all kind of help has been extended to help her recover from the mental trauma, said Mr Tiwari clarifying that rape took place three days back.

Mr Ghoshal who hails from West Bengal joined the Chemical engineering department of the college in 2003. Later he was promoted as the dean of IIT Guwahati.

The victim who hails from Assam works as an assistant in the IIT-Guwahati.

Meanwhile, incident has come as a shocker for the faculties and students of the IIT-Guwahati.