Kalakshetra Protest: Professor Arrested After FIR Over Sexual Harassment Allegations

Adayar Women Police filed FIR in the Kalakshetra sexual harassment case. Professor Hari Padaman has been booked under three sections of the Women Harassment Act.

Representational Image | Students of Kalakshetra Insitute have been protesting over the lack of action in a sexual harassment case against the professor.

Source : Getty Images

Chennai Police informed that it arrested Kalakshestra Professor Hari Padman following the complaint of sexual harassment from a former student. Adayar Women Police filed FIR in the Kalakshetra sexual harassment case on Friday. 

Professor Hari Padaman was booked under three sections of the Women Harassment Act, Chennai Police Officials informed, as reported by news agency PTI

After the professor was booked, the agitating students called off their protest.

#UPDATE | Chennai, Tamil Nadu: Chennai Police arrested Kalakshestra Professor Hari Padman following the complaint of sexual harassment from a former student. He was booked by Chennai Police booked on Firday: Chennai Police

— ANI (@ANI) April 3, 2023

Students of Kalakshetra Insitute have been protesting over the lack of action in a sexual harassment case against the professor.

According to news agency PTI, the students said they were calling off the protest "for now" while some of them accused three more teachers of sexually harassing both girls and boys studying in the institution, which comes under the Ministry of Culture.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin had assured of action over the matter after it came up in the Assembly.

“If proven guilty, appropriate action would be taken against the alleged perpetrators. All measures are taken to ensure the safety of women protesters. Tamil Nadu police did not receive any official written complaint from the Kalakshetra student union,” Stalin said, as quoted by news agency ANI.

“NCW Chairperson who initially wrote to DGP has sent another letter that their inquiry is over and that they haven't found any evidence,” he added.

The Chief Minister said that a team visited the campus and held talks with the students on Friday. The team included the Revenue Divisional Officer, Tahsildar, Joint Police Commissioner, Assistant Commissioner of Police, and officers.

Tamil Nadu State Commission for Women chairperson A S Kumari had also held inquiries with students on the matter earlier. 

Kalakshetra Sexual Harassment Case

The students of Kalakshetra Educational Institute staged a protest inside the campus demanding action against a professor for allegedly sexually harassing the students. Several students have come out against the alleged harassment by the professor and a couple of them even narrated their ordeal, as per reports.

A survivor gave a complaint to the Adyar police. The National Commission for Women (NCW) too ordered Tamil Nadu police to conduct a probe. However, NCW later withdrew the order by stating that the victim denied sexual harassment when inquired about by the IC committee.

However, the students alleged that the administration is not ready to take action against the teacher since he had been working for a long time in the institution.