The teacher of a residential school for tribals in B.R. Hills in Chamarajanagar district of Karnataka was arrested on the charge of sexually abusing a 15-year-old student of class 10.
According to a complaint, the accused, Arun Kumar, is a Hindi teacher. On the night of April 5, when he was studying for an examination scheduled on April 6, the Hindi teacher sent word through a colleague that the youth be sent to his house.
When the student reached the house of the Hindi teacher, he was allegedly forced to consume alcohol and subjected to sexual abuse by the accused.
After appearing for the examination on April 6, the student informed the warden on April 7. The warden informed the taluk social welfare officer and officials of the district Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe Department.
The youth subsequently fled the hostel and informed the Odanadi Seva Samsthe in Mysuru on April 12. Parashuram M.L., co-founder of Odanadi, said they informed the Deputy Commissioner of Chamarajanagar district Shilpa Nag.
An FIR under POCSO Act was registered in the Women’s Police Station against the accused, who was arrested, produced in court, and sent to judicial custody.
The Chamarajanagar district administration has released a compensation of ₹1 lakh to the complainent.
The Hindi teacher has been suspended from duty with effect from April 13 pending an investigation.
Parashuram M.L. said the student has been entrusted to the custody of Child Welfare Committee (CWC). He hails from a tribal hamlet in Hunsur. He had joined the tribal school in B.R. Hills in class 5 after losing his father.
Mr Parashuram claimed that the Hindi teacher was involved in a similar incident in 2000. He expressed concern over the safety of young students of tribal schools who belong to poor and vulnerable sections of society. He sought strict action against the accused.
