In a disturbing happening, three teachers from a government school in Tamil Nadu’s Krishnagiri district have been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 13-year-old student on campus. Notably, the incident took place in early January and came to light only when school authorities visited the girl’s home to ask about her prolonged absence.
According to the media reports, the survivor had stopped attending classes in early January. When a team of teachers visited her home, she complained of ulcers. On Monday, when the school headmistress and a teacher visited her home again, the girl disclosed that she had been sexually assaulted by three teachers in a school toilet between January 1 and 3.
Her mother, accompanied by the headmistress and a teacher, contacted the police and lodged a complaint, leading to the arrests. Krishnagiri Superintendent of Police P Thangadurai said that the accused, aged 57, 48, and 37, were taken into custody and charged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. They have also been suspended from service.
Krishnagiri District Collector C Dinesh Kumar dismissed rumours that an abortion was performed and said that she was not pregnant. The incident led to protests in the area, with local residents and the girl’s relatives demanding strict action against the accused. On Wednesday, an angry crowd staged a road blockade outside the school. Police personnel were deployed to manage the situation, and authorities assured that legal action would be taken.
The incident has led to strong political reactions, with Opposition leaders blaming the state government for failing to protect students. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami criticised the DMK government, saying, “When I raised concerns about student safety in government schools, the government dismissed them. What will they say now?”
BJP state president K Annamalai linked the increase in sexual crimes to governance failures and pointed to a decline in arrests under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act as evidence of law enforcement lapses.
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