LUCKNOW: The headmaster of a government school in a village in Unnao district was arrested on Monday for allegedly sexually abusing at least 18 girl students studying there.
An FIR in this connection was lodged against the headmaster of the school (Class 1-8), said police sources.
They added that the alleged incident came to light after one of the victims reached out to the school cook and two other women of the school staff to share her ordeal. The cook, in turn, told the teachers about it.
The teachers took the matter to the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), which sent a team to the school on Saturday to record the statements of the students. The teachers also registered a complaint on the Prime Minister of India’s website.
According to the sources, child commission member Preeti Bharadwaj Dalal met the victims and spoke to them at length. At least 18 girls, in the age group of 7-14 years, confirmed that headmaster Rajesh Kumar used to harass them sexually. The students said the teacher used to touch them inappropriately and bribed them with candies to keep silent.
As per Kotwali station house officer (SHO) Pramod Mishra, an FIR was registered on the basis of a complaint by the woman cook.
“On the basis of a complaint by the school cook, an FIR was registered against Kumar under provisions of the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act,” said the SHO.
The FIR was registered in the case the same day under Sections 354 (assault or use of criminal force to any woman to outrage her modesty) and 294 (obscene acts and songs) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Sections 9F (whoever being on the management or staff of an educational institution or religious institution, commits sexual assault on a child in that institution) and Section 10 (aggravated sexual assault) of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
Interacting with media persons, NCPCR member Preeti Bhardwaj, said the school was a co-educational institute till Class VIII.
“At least 18 students, aged between seven and 14 years, came forward and told us that the headmaster was sexually harassing them,” she alleged, adding that the students also informed them that the headmaster — identified in the FIR as Rajesh Kumar, 51 — would call them over and give them Rs 5 or Rs 10 (as allurement).
Soon after the FIR was registered, the district’s basic shiksha adhikari suspended Kumar.
As per the FIR, the cooks claimed that a group of female students informed them that the school headmaster called them near him and "indulged in obscene acts and wrongful gestures".
“The girls further shared about facing bad touch from the headmaster following which the cooks informed a female teacher of the school. More teachers spoke to the students after that. The teachers then informed the basic shiksha adhikari (basic education officer of the district) and the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights,” said the FIR.