MADURAI: Police on Tuesday arrested an assistant professor at the Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) on charges of sexually-harassing a Post Graduation student.
A first year History student lodged a complaint with the Nagamalai Pudukottai police on Monday alleging that the assistant professor, C Kannan, had sent sexually suggestive messages on her mobile phone and several times attempted to touch her inappropriately.
The matter came to the knowledge of the girl’s parents on August 11 after she showed reluctance in going to college. When questioned, she narrated the events, following which her father confronted C Kannan on August 13. After the intervention, Kannan reportedly expressed regret and apologised.
Speaking to Express, the girl’s father said, “The assistant professor had sent over 100 messages to my daughter in the first and the second week of August. Shortly after my intervention, she began receiving threats. On a couple of occasions, a few strangers intercepted her on the way to college and demanded that she delete the messages or hand over her handset to them.” They also threatened her not to reveal the incident to anyone, he added. Unable to withstand the torture, the girl along with her father on Monday approached the police.
A case was registered against C Kannan under section 294 (b) (recites or utters any obscene song, ballad or words, in or near any public place, 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 506 (I) (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 4 of the Prohibition of Sexual Harassment of Women Act. After preliminary investigations, Kannan was arrested on Tuesday.
MKU Vice-Chancellor Kalyani Mathivanan said, “The issue was brought to my knowledge on Tuesday after the girl’s parents lodged a complaint with the police. I will look into the issue and take appropriate action.”