Tamil Nadu: Police registers FIR in Kalakshetra sexual harassment case

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], March 31 : Adyar Women Police on Friday registered an FIR in the Kalakshetra sexual harassment case, said Chennai Police Officials.

According to the police, Professor Hari Padaman has been booked under 3 sections.

The case has been registered under sections 354 (A), 509, 4 of the Woman Harassment Act, the police said.

The students of the Kalakshetra college in Chennai's Thiruvanmiyur who were protesting over delay in action against a professor and others, against whom sexual harassment allegations surfaced recently, halted their agitation temporarily post-midnight.

"Large numbers of students were protesting since Thursday afternoon, and a call for a temporary halt was made by Kalakshetra students' representatives at around 02.00 am," sources told .

According to Kalakshetra students' representative, since protesters are tired they said they are going to temporarily halt the protest till Friday morning. "Our protest will start by Friday 7 am again," they said while speaking to on Thursday.

A day after a protest by students against alleged sexual harassment at Kalakshetra in Chennai, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said in the State Assembly that legal action will be taken against those found guilty if the allegations are confirmed.

The chief minister was responding to a special attention-grabbing resolution in the Legislative Assembly regarding the sexual harassment of the Kalasetra Foundation. Opposition MLAs put forth the resolution - Balaji of VCK, Velmurugan of VUK, Selva Perundagai of Congress and others.

"Government conducting a proper investigation into this matter and if the charges are confirmed, legal action will be taken against whoever is at fault. It will be taken compulsorily," Stalin told the Assembly.

"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," said Stalin.

CM Stalin said that the National Commission for Women (NCW) Chairperson who initially wrote to DGP has sent another letter stating that their inquiry had concluded and that they haven't found any evidence of sexual harassment on campus.

Stalin said the police has not recieved any written complaint so far in this issue and that the Foundation has declared a holiday till April 6 for students of the college and directed students to vacate the hostel within two days.

"I contacted the district collector's office and got the details. They have sent the Revenue Divisional Officer, District Collector and Joint Commissioner of Police to collect details and conducted an investigation. This morning again the revenue police team is investigating," said Stalin.

He said that all necessary measures are being taken for the safety of the women students.

Earlier in the day, the students' Union of Kalakshetra college in Chennai'sThiruvanmiyur wrote to the Union Culture Ministry demanding action against the Director of the Institute and HOD of the dance department over the sexual/verbal abuse allegations against several male faculties.

The Union also demanded reconstitution of the internal complaints committee and also recognised the union which was formed on Thursday.

On Thursday, the Kalakshetra Educational Institute was shut down after a protest by students over the lack of action against the professor who allegedly sexually harassed the students, informed the institute's authorities.

The students of Kalakshetra Educational Institute, which operates under the control of the central government, sat on a protest inside the institute to take action against the professor who sexually harassed the students.

Students raised allegations on social media that a professor was sexually harassing students.

Subsequently, the National Commission for Women ordered the Tamil Nadu Police to conduct an investigation.

A complaint had been filed by a girl victim from Kalakshetra at Adyar Police Station.