Chennai police on Sunday detained 41-year-old Kebi Raj, a Karate instructor who runs a training institute at Anna Nagar, based on a sexual harassment complaint filed by a woman. Speaking to TNM, a police officer investigating the case from Anna Nagar All Woman Police Station said, “A college student has filed the complaint. He had worked at PSBB earlier but this complainant is not from the school.”
According to the police, the incident had taken place in 2014 and the victim reached out to the police to file a complaint on May 29, Saturday. Based on the complaint, the police have reportedly registered a case against Kebi Raj under sections 376 r/w 511 (attempt to rape), 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Woman Act. Students from the school in which he taught had shared their experiences anonymously with social media influencers, but no complaint has been lodged yet by them. More details on this case are yet to be shared.
Meanwhile, the police have also arrested athletic coach and superintendent in the GST Commissionerate in Chennai P Nagarajan on Sunday. Nagarajan had allegedly tried to end his life when he found out about the sexual harassment complaint filed against him. Chennai Flower Bazaar Police arrested the 59-year-old who was admitted to Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. Nagarajan was accused by a former athlete of inappropriately touching her under the garb of helping her with physiotherapy. Several students too shared instances of Nagarajan’s inappropriate behaviour on social media.
Reports have also emerged of another teacher, J Anand, who taught at Maharishi Vidya Mandir in Chetpet, being accused of sexual harassment by students. The school released a statement on May 27 stating that it has suspended Anand pending investigation and that the complaints against him will be referred to the school’s Internal Committee for inquiry.
Notably, Deputy Commissioner of Police Jayalakshmi who is investigating PSBB teacher Rajagopalan’s case has urged survivors to come forward and file complaints with police so as to enable formal inquiry against perpetrators. The Deputy Commissioner shared her contact number 94447 7222 on which survivors can reach out and assured of maintaining the confidentiality of their identity.