Case against Ileana Citaristi for misbehaving with student

Reported by Santosh Jagdev

Bhubaneswar, Jan 21:

Commissionerate police registered a case against the Italy-born Odissi dancer and Padmashri awardee Ileana Citaristi today for misbehaving with one of her students at her dance class at Bindu Sagar here on Sunday.

A complaint in this regard was lodged with Lingaraj police station by the victim’s father Kamala Kanta Dash of Kedar Lane in Old Town Bhubaneswar on Sunday. But the police registered a case in this regard only today after spending two days studying its pros and cons.

According to Dash, Citaristi, who runs an Odissi dance school at Bindu Sagar, had misbehaved his daughter Dibyarupa over some issue on Sunday. He, however, declined to divulge the details of the encounter between the Odissi dancer and his daughter.

Lingaraj police too refused to reveal details about the case saying inquiry into the matter is on.

Sources said Citaristi has been giving lessons in Odissi dance to 40-50 students in her dance class.

The eminent Odissi dancer is no stranger to controversy. She had hit the headlines after accusing a priest of misbehaving with her atop Lord Jagannath’s chariotduring the Rath Yatra last year. The matter was given a quiet burial after the priests apologised to her.

Citaristi was not available for her response to the charges leveled against her.