A dance professor of Kalakshetra Foundation's Rukmini Devi College of Fine Arts was arrested today, Monday, April 3 after accusations of sexual harassment surfaced, as stated in a report by PTI.
The Tamil Nadu State Commission for Women Chairperson AS Kumari told the Kalakshetra management that other three male faculty members accused of sexually harassing the students should not be allowed entry into the premises.
The city police had arrested the faculty, Hari Padman, and had charged Indian Penal Code Sections 354A (sexual harassment) and 509 (use of acts intended to insult the modesty of a woman) along with Section 4 of Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act based on a complaint against him. He is among the four faculty members who was indicted for sexual harassment at the prestigious institution.
It was on Sunday, April 2, that witnesses' statements were recorded by the Tamil Nadu police, for which, they travelled to Kerala, informed the police.
Also, Kalakshetra Director Revathi Ramachandran appeared before the women's panel. Commission Chief Kumari told reporters that she had sought some details from the institute regarding its Internal Complaints Committee (ICC), into sexual harassment issues and its composition. She made it clear that the student's safety and an "atmosphere of safety" should be ensured on the premises, she said.
"Three others should not be allowed into the premises," as there has been “police action” against one of the accused and this has been conveyed to the institute management, Kumari told reporters.
