A professor at Anna University was arrested on Friday evening following allegations of sexual harassment and stalking, police said, in a case that has triggered student protests and raised fresh questions about campus safety mechanisms.

The professor, identified by police as Gnanavel Babu, was picked up from Tirunelveli. “We arrested him in Tirunelveli and he is being brought to Chennai for interrogation,” a senior police officer said.

A case has been registered under the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, 1998, and Section 78 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which deals with stalking.

According to police sources, the FIR followed a complaint by a woman student who alleged that the professor had subjected her to sexual harassment for nearly two years.

In her complaint, she said other female students may also have faced similar behaviour and called for a confidential inquiry within the department to ensure their safety.

The allegations sparked unrest on campus. Students protested, claiming that earlier complaints had not led to action. Many demanded the immediate removal of the faculty member and changes to the university’s grievance redressal system.

With the protests growing and a police case in place, the university administration issued an order placing the professor under suspension pending both internal and police inquiries.

The case has also drawn a political response. K Annamalai said he was expressing "deep shock" on X (formerly Twitter) and questioned why such incidents continue to recur at a premier institution like Anna University.

He also raised concerns about the functioning of the university’s Prevention of Sexual Harassment (PoSH) committee, pointing out that the alleged harassment went on for two years.

He asked the state Higher Education Minister, Govi Chezhian, to clarify what safety measures have been put in place since similar cases were reported last year.

Annamalai further urged the police to conduct a "secretive and sensitive" investigation involving all female students in the accused professor’s department, so that more victims can come forward without fear of academic consequences.

Police said a detailed investigation is underway.