An ex-teacher at Chennai Academy was detained after former students allegedly harassed him sexually

Renowned dancer Sheejith Krishna, a former faculty member of Chennai’s Kalakshetra Foundation, was taken into custody on Tuesday after claims made by former pupils of sexual harassment. The claims have not yet received a response from Sheejith Krishna’s team.

After leaving Kalakshetra, Krishna opened his own dancing school.

After his former pupils, who have since relocated to another country, filed a case in the Madras High Court, accusing their instructor of sexually harassing them while they were on campus between 1996 and 2001, Krishna was arrested. The Chennai Police Commissioner was instructed to take action by the court in response to the complaint.

“The former students claim Sheejith took advantage of them,” NDTV said, quoting a top police official.

Professor Hari Padman was fired by the Kalakshetra Foundation last year after a commission of investigation concluded that he had engaged in sexual harassment. Along with Padman, an arrest was made subsequent to the filing of charges.

NDTV claims that up until the matter was taken to court, the National Commission for Women and the administration denied any sexual harassment. The state women’s commission received written complaints from more than a hundred pupils, including male students.

Large numbers of students also staged massive demonstrations in the streets, accusing academic members and repertory performers of sexual harassment. Citing the administration’s inactivity, the students demanded justice.

The institution has established an independent committee to handle student allegations of sexual harassment in response to the Madras High Court’s request for rules to be implemented. The guidelines include for “engaging repertory artists, curtailing obsession with performance and an emphasis on deep learning and polishing art form,” as well as prohibiting pupils from entering instructors’ rooms other than during community festivities.