Chennai: Police Friday arrested a now-suspended Anna University professor from Tirunelveli district on charges of stalking and sexually harassing a student, with four more women subsequently coming forward with similar allegations against him.
The accused, Gnanavel Babu, was arrested by Chennai police and is being brought to the city for interrogation. A case was registered against him at the Kotturpuram all-women police station. It has since been transferred to the all-women police station in Mylapore, Abhiramapuram, and a deputy commissioner of police-rank officer is overseeing the investigation.
Police said they have taken the student’s mobile phone to examine digital evidence for the complaint.
“A case has been registered under charges of stalking and harassment of a woman,” a senior police officer told ThePrint.
In her complaint to police, the student alleged that Babu—who has been working at the state-run university since 2014—subjected her to inappropriate behaviour over three years. What began as academic support, including assistance with internships, escalated into harassment, the student alleged, saying that the professor cast himself in a “father figure” role and then made intrusive and inappropriate remarks.
She alleged that he made obscene phone calls, sent sexually explicit messages, and repeatedly contacted her late at night. Despite her refusal, he allegedly pressured her to meet him outside the university campus and resorted to intimidation. After she blocked his number, he allegedly contacted her friends, some of whom she said were targeted in a similar manner.
The student also alleged that multiple women in the department had faced similar behaviour, though many were reluctant to come forward for fear of repercussions. Some complaints, she said, had already been raised with the university’s Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) Committee.
In audio clips submitted by the complainant to police, a man suspected to be the professor is heard confronting the student, asking her to bring her father to “resolve” the issue and claiming that her actions had brought him disrepute within the university. He is heard suggesting that he would disclose details of her personal interactions with male friends to her family.
In another audio clip, the man expresses resentment over what he described as a lack of gratitude for support he had extended to the student. In that conversation, the man questions the student’s personal life in a manner that she described as “coercive”, and comments on her interactions with male friends.
He is also alleged to have continued contacting her despite her refusal to remain in touch. According to the complaint, he messaged the student on multiple platforms, including through digital payment apps.
Before his arrest, the Anna University Friday placed Babu under suspension, pending inquiry. The university’s Registrar told ThePrint that the professor has been removed from all academic duties.
A university student who did not wish to be named said, “We have been raising complaints for years, but nothing changed. The system failed us.”
The university did not give more details on queries about complaints against the professor. Its PoSH committee and the grievance cell could not be reached for comment via repeated calls till Saturday afternoon.
‘Four more complaints’ & backlash
A second student told ThePrint that four students from the same class have filed separate complaints against the professor at the Kotturpuram all-women police station in Chennai. The student added they had not approached the university with their complaints.
The senior police officer quoted above confirmed that four more complaints had been received. “Four more cases have been filed by other female students from the same class. Only after further inquiry, we can decide whether other sections need to be added,” the officer said.
The professor’s arrest Friday triggered protests at the College of Engineering campus, with students demanding his immediate dismissal and calling for an independent and transparent investigation.
The case also revived memories of the 2024 sexual assault at Anna University, which escalated into a political controversy over the accused being referred to as “Sir” in the FIR.
Opposition parties in Tamil Nadu questioned the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government on why the “Sir” in the 2024 case was not identified, sparking a broader debate on transparency and accountability in handling the case.
AIADMK leader T.T.V. Dhinakaran, in a post on X, questioned Friday whether the latest allegations were linked to the “Sir” case. He raised concerns about student safety, called for a thorough investigation, and said strict action must follow if the allegations are proved.
BJP leader K. Annamalai described the allegations as “deeply shocking” and urged Tamil Nadu Police to conduct a comprehensive and impartial inquiry, including confidential outreach to potentially affected students. In an X post, he questioned the efficacy of the university’s PoSH Committee and called on Higher Education Minister Dr Govi Chezhiaan to clarify its functioning.
Writer and activist Meena Kandasamy told ThePrint that the case reflects a broader pattern of abuse and exploitation within educational institutions, where power imbalances often leave students vulnerable. She pointed out that faculty members’ control over academic evaluation can place students in a position of dependency, making it difficult for them to resist or report harassment.
Kandasamy also highlighted the stigma faced by women who speak out, saying many fear being labelled as “troublemakers”, which discourages formal complaints. She called for collective support for survivors and stressed the need to openly call out such incidents.
Senior DMK leader R.S. Bharathi, when contacted, said he was not aware of the incident and declined to comment on the case. ThePrint has reached out to Chezhiaan for a response. The report will be updated if and when it is received.
(Edited by Prerna Madan)