Sheejith Krishna, a former faculty of Chennai’s Kalakshetra Foundation and a renowned dancer, was arrested on Tuesday on allegations of sexual harassment by former students. Sheejith Krishna’s team is yet to respond to the allegations.
Krishna resigned from Kalakshetra and started his own dance academy.
Krishna’s arrest came after his former students, now settled abroad moved the Madras High Court, alleged that their teacher had sexually harassed them when they were on campus between 1996 and 2001. Following the complaint, the court directed the Chennai Police Commissioner to act on the complaint.
“The former students allege Sheejith used them,” NDTV reported citing a senior police officer.
Last year, the Kalakshetra Foundation sacked Professor Hari Padman after an inquiry committee found him guilty of sexual harassment. Padman was also arrested after charges were pressed against him.
According to NDTV, the management and the National Commission for Women initially denied sexual harassment until the issue went to court. Over a hundred students, including male students, gave written complaints to the state women’s commission.
Huge protests were also carried out by large sections of students who took to the streets alleging sexual harassment by faculty and repertory artists. The students sought justice citing inaction by the administration.
On Madras High Court’s urge to implement guidelines, the institute has formed an independent committee to address sexual harassment complaints by students. The recommendations include a ban on entry of students into teachers’ quarters except during community celebrations, a ban on “engaging repertory artists, curtailing obsession on performance and an emphasis on deep learning and polishing art form”.
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