Purbanchal University Vice-Chancellor Ghanashyam Lal Das has been unable to work from his office since his appointment a month ago as the room has been padlocked by agitating professors.

Progressive Professor Association close to CPN-UML and other employees affiliated to CPN-Maoist and Forum Loktantrik have barred the new VC demanding that they should have been incorporated in the process of selecting the top official.

As a result, Das has been carrying out his work from a residential building of the Mahendra Morang Campus.

Das said he negotiated with the Association but the irate staffers did not open his office saying they should be directed by their leaders. “I am trying to open the office, taking to all the concerned unions,” Das said, adding that the problem could not be resolved due to recent political instability.

PU Employee Association Chairman Rupesh Basnet said the trend of padlocking offices has been established in almost every activities of the varsity.

In the past, the then VC Maheshworman Shrestha was also unable to enter his office for four years following his appointment, forcing him to work from local Ratna Hotel.