Nashik: A shocking incident has occurred at the 'New English School and Junior College' in Taked, Igatpuri Taluka, wherein a teacher molested a minor female student studying in the eighth grade. The perpetrator, a depraved teacher named Arjun Gabhaji Harishchandra, has been arrested by the Ghoti Police.
On Tuesday (the 28th) afternoon, the victim, a female student, went to the school, accompanied by her brother, to obtain the Principal's signature and official stamp on some documents. At that time, the teacher, Arjun Harishchandra, told the student, "The Principal is currently in a meeting; I will get the signatures for you." He then led the student into a classroom and instructed her brother to wait outside.
Once inside the classroom, the teacher engaged in acts that caused the student deep shame and made highly obscene remarks. He attempted to touch her body while commenting, "When you were in the seventh grade, your body was small; look how much you have grown now that you are in the eighth grade." Terrified by this ordeal, the student fled the scene.
At the time of the incident, the girl's parents were out of town. When they returned home on Wednesday morning, they noticed their daughter weeping; upon inquiring about her distress, this outrageous incident came to light. Enraged parents, accompanied by villagers, went to the school to confront the teacher; however, he gave evasive answers. Ultimately, a complaint was lodged at the Ghoti Police Station.
List of Charges and Arrest
Recognising the gravity of the incident, the Ghoti Police immediately took the suspect teacher, Arjun Harishchandra, into custody. Cases have been registered against him under the following sections:
- POCSO Act: Sections 8 and 12.
- Atrocities Act: Various sections of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
- Juvenile Justice Act: Sections 74, 75(2), and 79.
Under the guidance of Police Inspector Vijay Shinde, Assistant Police Inspector Kanchan Bhojane, Sub-Inspector Pravin Ude, and their team are conducting further investigations.
A Dark History at This Very School
Notably, a similarly horrific incident occurred at this very school on February 7, 2025. The then-Headmaster, Tukaram Sable, had raped a sixth-grade student, a crime for which he has since been sentenced to life imprisonment. Furthermore, the incident involving a teacher molesting a female student in the nearby village of Adsare remains fresh in the public memory.
Parents' Angry Question: What Are the Education Officers Doing?
The recurrence of such incidents within the same school and taluka (administrative block) has created an atmosphere of fear and outrage among parents. "What exactly are the Block Education Officers of the Igatpuri Panchayat Samiti doing?" is the angry question now being raised by parents. A critical question is being posed: if girls are not safe even in a sacred institution like a school, how can parents feel secure in sending them there to receive an education?
