A 35-year-old government school teacher in Tamil Nadu's Thanjavur district has been arrested on Wednesday for allegedly sexually harassing several female students. The accused, identified as Muthukumaran from Tiruvaiyar, worked as a math teacher at a Government Higher Secondary School in the region.
The case came to light after some of the victims' parents contacted the Child Helpline (1098), reporting that their daughters in Class 9 and 10 had been subjected to harassment. Acting on these complaints, Child Helpline officials visited the school on August 13 to investigate, as reported by The New Indian Express.
Several students revealed that they had faced harassment at the hands of Muthukumaran, leading the Child Helpline to file a detailed report with the Chief Educational Officer (CEO).
As a result, Muthukumaran was suspended from his duties starting August 14. However, no legal action was initially taken, prompting the victims' parents to stage a protest on October 9, demanding justice and accountability, as reported by India Today.
Following the protest, a formal complaint was lodged by the Child Helpline at the All Women Police Station in Orathanadu. Muthukumaran was subsequently arrested under sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. After being produced in court, he was remanded to custody and sent to a jail in Pudukottai.
This disturbing incident comes just a month after a similar case in Nagercoil, where a teacher at Kendriya Vidyalaya was arrested under the POCSO Act for allegedly sexually assaulting a Class 8 student, raising concerns about the safety of children.
Meanwhile, a case of sexual assault was reported earlier at a 'fake' NCC camp organized by a private school near Bargur, held from August 5 to 9. The police arrested several individuals under the POCSO Act in connection with the alleged sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl and another minor.
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