SALEM: A 49-year-old mathematics teacher was arrested under the Pocso Act for allegedly sexually assaulting 17 schoolgirls at a government middle school near Sankagiri, following a complaint lodged by the headmistress.
The accused, who taught for 12 years at the Panchayat Union Middle School in Kaveripatti, was taken into custody after multiple complaints from students. The issue came to light on April 7 when parents confronted the teacher over the alleged inappropriate behaviour.
An internal inquiry by the school headmistress revealed that students from Classes 6 to 8 accused the teacher of repeated sexual misconduct over the past six months. The students also alleged that he threatened them using superstitions, warning of harm to their families if they disclosed the abuse.
Following the inquiry, school authorities alerted higher officials and Childline 1098 before filing a formal complaint at the All Women Police Station in Sangagiri. Police subsequently registered a case and arrested the accused on Thursday. Further investigation is underway.
Meanwhile, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss condemned the incident, alleging that government schools have become unsafe for children. Citing official data, he claimed that Pocso cases in Tamil Nadu rose from 3,057 in 2020 to around 7,000 in 2025, an increase of about 129%.
He also stated that crimes against women have remained high, with over 44,000 cases reported in the last five years, averaging about 25 offences per day. He further alleged that despite prior accusations against the teacher, no effective action had been taken.