The Tamil teacher of a private CBSE school, who was arrested here on Tuesday for allegedly misbehaving with girls, was terminated from service by the school.
Reacting to the incident, parents of several students thronged the school at Ammapet on Monday raising apprehension about the safety of their children. On information, the Chief Educational Officer and the police held an inquiry.
Sources said that Rajeswari, mother of class I girl, called the District Child Protection Officer over phone and complained that some unknown persons had taken her daughter from the school and later dropped her back in the institution.
As the girl complained about such happenings a couple of times, Rajeswari took up the matter with the school authorities. Despite being informed the school officials did not take any action, the mother alleged.
Acting on her complaint the District Child Protection Officer A Devaki went to the school to conduct an enquiry. But at the school there was tension over another issue as six parents of class VIII students were complaining that their daughters were being sexually harassed by K Padmanaban (45) a Tamil teacher. The District Child Protection Officer said she held enquiries with the principal, who claimed that there had been no complaints about the teacher from the children so far.
As the news about the enquiry spread, parents of several students thronged the school demanding explanation, escalating tension.
Subsequently, on information, the Ammapet Police rushed to the school and tried to pacify the parents.
Devaki on her part asked the parents to lodge a complaint about Padmanaban. But none of the parents came forward.
“When some girls were questioned, some complained that Padmanaban used foul language and used to touch and pinch their body. But they had not informed their parents so far. In all, 20 girls lodged a written complaint,” she said.
Meanwhile, the teacher, Padmanaban, was terminated from the school service. Chief Education Officer Easwaran said he had told the school authorities to ask the CBSE Board to cancel his teacher qualification.