Anna University professor arrested for 'sexual harassment, stalking'
Chennai (PTI): A professor of the state-run Anna University here was arrested on Friday evening following allegations of sexual harassment and stalking, police said.
A case was registered under the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, 1998, and Section 78 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for stalking, said a senior police official.
The professor has been identified as Gnanavel Babu, according to police.
"We arrested him in Tirunelveli and he is being brought to Chennai for interrogation," the officer said.
The legal action comes amid intense student protests and a subsequent suspension order by the university administration.
According to police sources, the FIR was registered following a complaint by a woman student who alleged that the professor had been subjecting her to sexual harassment for nearly two years.
The complainant further stated that several other female students had also been victimised and requested a confidential inquiry within her department to ensure the safety of all students.
The university campus witnessed significant unrest as students hit the streets, alleging that despite complaining twice previously, no concrete action was taken by the authorities. The protesters demanded the immediate removal of the faculty member and a complete overhaul of the campus safety grievance mechanism.
Following the registration of the police case and the escalating protests, the Anna University management issued an official order placing the professor under immediate suspension pending a full internal and police inquiry.
The incident has drawn sharp criticism from Tamil Nadu BJP leader K Annamalai.
Expressing "deep shock" on X (formerly Twitter), Annamalai sought to know why such incidents continue to recur at a premier institution like Anna University.
He further questioned the functionality of the university’s Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) committee, noting that the harassment allegedly persisted for two years.
He also called upon the state Higher Education Minister Govi Chezhian, to provide answers regarding the safety measures implemented since similar incidents were reported last year.
Annamalai has also urged the Tamil Nadu Police to conduct a "secretive and sensitive" investigation involving all female students in the accused professor's department to encourage more victims to come forward without fear of academic backlash.
Police said a thorough probe is underway.
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Food delivery agent intervenes to stop street fight in Delhi's Dwarka, stabbed to death
New Delhi (PTI): A 32-year-old food delivery executive was stabbed to death when he allegedly intervened in a violent altercation between two groups in southwest Delhi's Dwarka, police said on Monday.
The deceased has been identified as Govind Jha, a resident of Mohan Garden.
Three others sustained stab injuries in the incident and are currently undergoing treatment at a hospital, they said.
Authorities also cautioned against attempts to give the incident a communal colour.
According to the police, Jha was on his way to work on Sunday night when he noticed a street fight taking place at Rajapuri in Madhu Vihar area of Dwarka. The altercation involved two men pitted against three others, who were later identified as Parvesh, Anish and Rohit.
"Jha stopped at the spot and attempted to intervene. During the scuffle, the two men allegedly pulled out knives and began stabbing Parvesh, Anish and Rohit. When Jha tried to intervene, he was also attacked," a police officer said.
All four injured persons were rushed to a nearby hospital, where Jha succumbed to his injuries during treatment. The other three men are under medical observation.
Police said the accused fled the spot after the incident, and multiple teams have been formed to identify and apprehend them.
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Kushal Pal Singh, in a statement, said that some messages circulating on social media are attempting to give a communal angle to the incident.
"In the incident, four people suffered stab injuries and were admitted to the hospital. One person died at the hospital, and the remaining three are undergoing treatment. The victims belong to two different communities. The accused stabbed all four victims. Dwarka Police is conducting a search for the accused," the DCP said.
"There is no communal angle to the incident. Strict action will be taken against those spreading false information," he said.
