A government school teacher in the Alwar district of Rajasthan has been arrested after complaints by girl students of sexual harassment.
The accused teacher Devprakash Yadav, 46, was posted at the Raisarana government senior secondary school in Neemrana area of Alwar district, 200 km from Jaipur.
He was arrested on Friday and produced in a local court on Saturday.
The matter came to light on Wednesday when an education department official visited the school for a routine check. While he was talking to the school children, several girls present there started crying and complained that Yadav would indulge in indecent behaviour and make obscene remarks and gestures.
The students said that Yadav would threaten to fail them and force them into a physical relationship. They said Yadav had been harassing them for the past one year and they had complained to the school authorities but no action was taken.
The accused teacher was present in the meeting and was unable to give a satisfactory reply to the allegations.
The additional chief block education officer Rajkumar Yadav said he asked the girls to give a written complaint that was forwarded to the senior officials of the department.
As the news of the teacher’s misconduct spread, angry parents and villagers gathered outside the school and demanded strict action against the teacher.
On Thursday, the Neemrana sub-divisional magistrate and Mandhana police station SHO reached the school and recorded statements of the students. A police complaint was registered against him on Thursday.
The school authorities also conducted an inquiry and prima facie found the teacher guilty. The education department removed the teacher and placed him on an awaiting posting order (APO).
On Friday, deputy superintendent of police from the Neemrana police station Lokesh Meena visited the school and recorded statements of the students, their parents and school staff.
After three hours of questioning and investigation, police arrested the accused teacher.
Meena who is the investigating officer in the case said the teacher was found guilty and an FIR has been lodged under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the POCSO Act and further investigation is on.
