SAMBALPUR: Police on Thursday detained a 50-year-old teacher of Kendriya Vidyalaya-I here on the charges of sexually harassing a Class IX girl student.The accused teacher, Arun Kumar Joshi, was taken into custody on the basis of the complaint lodged by the student’s parents and the school principal.
As per the complaint, Joshi on Tuesday asked some of his students including the victim to come to a classroom. After some time, he asked all the students to go outside except the victim and one of her friends. Later, he also sent the other girl to fetch a water bottle. Taking advantage of the situation, the teacher allegedly harassed the victim sexually. By the time the other girl returned to the classroom, the teacher had already left.
The victim returned home and narrated the entire incident to her parents. The next day, the angry parents went to the school and informed the matter to the principal. They also took up the matter with the parents’ committee of the school. Subsequently, a complaint was filed by the school authorities and the victim’s parents against the accused teacher in the local police station. On the day, sub-collector Puspanjali Panda along with some district officials and a police team visited the school for investigation. The teacher was later detained by police.
The sub-collector said, “A complaint of sexual harassment was received from the student’s parents and the school principal. We immediately went to the school and held discussion with the authorities and the victim. Appropriate action will be taken against the accused teacher if he is found guilty.”
Sub-divisional police officer PK Sahu said a case has been registered under section 354 of the IPC and appropriate sections of the POCSO Act. The teacher has been detained and is being interrogated. Further investigation is underway and the accused will be arrested soon.