Chennai: The principal of a government higher secondary school was suspended by Tamil Nadu's Chief Educational Officer (CEO) on Monday after the former failed to take action on the complaint of three students alleging sexual harassment by a Biology teacher.
According to a report on IANS, three Class 12 girls from Perundurai Government Higher Secondary school complained to the principal Ganeshan, against the Biology teacher V Thirumalaimoorthy (49) of alleged misbehaviour during online class and sexual harassment when the offline classes resumed after the Covid-19 pandemic in September.
However, the principal failed to take action and he also reportedly refused to open up about the issue to other workers of the school.
On Monday, the CEO took action against the principal after parents and students held a 'road roko' protest demanding the educational officer to take action against the school principal for failing to act on the complaint and trying to cover up the incident.
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Following this, the girl students dialed the child helpline number 1098. After the tip-off, the District Child Protection Unit of Erode held an enquiry into the matter and lodged a complaint with All Women Police Station in Erode.
Based on the complaint, the police registered a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Later, the accused teacher was arrested on Sunday, police sources said.