Two Chennai journalists arrested for allegedly stalking, harassing woman professor

In a complaint, the woman has alleged that the men colluded and harassed her if she did not give in to their wishes.
Two Chennai journalists arrested for allegedly stalking, harassing woman professor
Two Chennai journalists arrested for allegedly stalking, harassing woman professor
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Two journalists have been arrested by the Chennai police after a woman professor accused them of harassing her. Jo Stalin, a reporter with the Vikatan group and AP Raja, a freelance reporter were taken into custody in Sunday following a complaint. The complaint was filed by a woman on Saturday, who is an English professor at a private university in Chennai.

In her complaint, she said that she had known Jo Stalin from January 2017 through Facebook. After months of communicating through Facebook, both of them decided to meet at a coffee shop in Anna Nagar in May 2018. She said that since she did not like the way Stalin behaved during that brief meeting, she avoided further communication with him.

The complaint also said that she became Facebook friends with Raja in April 2017 and that they were good friends. Believing that Raja was her friend, she opened up to him regarding her personal problems and he consoled her. She also said that in the second week of May 2018, Raja asked her to meet him at the Marina Beach to vent out her issues out.

“That day he told me that he is in love with me, hugged and kissed me. He also thrust a ring on my finger by reciting poems and sweet words,” stated the complaint.

In her complaint, she stated that in spite of her telling him that he is already married and hence a relationship is not possible, Raja refused to listen to her words and said that the marriage was arranged for property benefits and that his love was true.

After she refused to listen to his persuasion, Raja visited her house in the last week of May and forced himself on her. After pleading to leave her alone, she saw a picture of Raja and Stalin together in Raja’s phone and asked him about it.

After Raja told her that he and Stalin were friends for 10 years, she narrated her ordeal with Stalin to Raja.

“Stalin came to know of the intimate details of the bond between me and Raja and tried to take advantage of me the same way. I told Raja to warn Stalin about his behaviour with me. I don’t know what they both spoke, but Stalin started sending me vulgar messages on WhatsApp. Stalin also threatened that he would tell this to my family and relatives and that he will insult me in my college. He also issued death threats to me,” said her complaint.

She also said that these incidents caused tremendous mental agony and that she contemplated killing herself. She also said that if something were to happen to her, Raja and Stalin should be held responsible, in her complaint.

The complainant spoke to TNM and said that on September 10, she called the Vikatan office to complain about Stalin. Minutes after her call, Stalin messaged her that he knew about the complaint and further threatened her. "He also called me a prostitute and repeatedly harassed me on WhatsApp. A few days later I received an email that the complaint at Vikatan has been forwarded to the higher authorities, but till date there is no action on this," she said. She also added that she tried to kill herself due to this and her brother saved her then.

The Thirumangalam police booked the two men under IPC sections 354B (Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 354D (Stalking) , 506(1) (Criminal Intimidation) and section 4 of the TN Prohibition of Harassment of Woman Act of 2002 ( Penalty for harassment of woman)and arrested them on Sunday. 

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