Italian dancer booked for beating her student in Odisha

Bhubaneswar, Jan 22: An Italian dancer, who runs a school here, has been booked for beating up her student, a police official said on Wednesday.

A case was registered against 55-year-old Ileana Citaristi on the basis of a complaint lodged by the student's father, Lingaraj police station chief Baidhar Baliarsingh told IANS.

Citaristi was conferred the Padma Shri for her contribution to Odissi dance.

The 10-year-old student's father said his daughter was assaulted by Ileana Citaristi Sunday over a trivial issue in the classroom, when she was taking a dance lesson.

Police have booked Citaristi under Sections 341 (wrongful restraint) 321 (voluntarily causing hurt) of the Indian Penal Code and under Section 23 of the Juvenile Justice Act (cruelty to juvenile or child) after registering a complaint Tuesday.

Citaristi, who was conferred the Padma Shri in 2006 for her contribution to Odissi dance, could not be reached for comment.

IANS