Kalakshetra professor arrested over sexual harassment charges

An Assistant Professor at a prestigious institution of classical arts in Tamil Nadu, who has been accused of sexual harassment, was arrested on Monday. Chennai police have arrested Hari Padman, who teaches dance at Kalakshetra Foundation's Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts in the city.

The professor was booked under Sections 354A (sexual harassment) and 509 (use of acts intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of IPC along with Section 4 of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, based on a complaint.

He is among four faculty members accused of sexual harassment at the prestigious institution. On April 2, a team of Tamil Nadu police went to Kerala to record the statements of witnesses in the sexual harassment case against Padman.

Protesting students had written to the Ministry of Culture, which runs the Kalakshetra Foundation, alleging sexual and verbal abuse faced by current as well as former students by four faculty members including the Assistant Professor.

The students have also demanded reconstitution of the internal complaints committee comprising a students' representative and said that they will continue their protest till their demands are met, ANI reported. Around 90 students had complained to the Tamil Nadu Women's Commission chief on Friday.

Commission Chairperson A.S. Kumari told PTI that the complaints received were confidential and would be detailed in the report to the government. She confirmed that the students have given their allegations in writing. "The allegations of students are against four persons (faculty). This is a sensitive matter," she added.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday assured the State Assembly of appropriate legal action on the allegations.