Complaint filed by the principal of the school.
By Dileep Thekkethil
BENGALURU: Two government school teachers in Akola, Maharashtra were booked after a police complaint was lodged by the principal alleging them of sexually harassing girl students.
According to The Hindustan Times, the accused teachers, Rajan Gajbhiye and Shailesh Ramteke, were booked on Wednesday under section 354 (a) of Indian Penal Court and section 7 and 8 of Protection of Child from Sexual Offences Act or POCSO Act. The formal complaint was filed by Ramavatar Singh, the principal of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalay.
Even though 49 students have accused the teachers of sexually harassing them, according to the police officials, only 2 students have come forward to register a formal complaint.
The students also approached Asha Mirge, member of Maharashtra State Women’s Commission on Tuesday, complaining about the teachers who sexually harassed them. According to their statement, the two teachers who taught chemistry and biology in the school sexually harassed them by threatening to reduce marks in the practical examination.
The girls said, the two teachers also abused them using sexually explicit language and approached them with the intention of making physical contact which prompted the girls to complain to the principal who convened an emergency PTA meeting to do further inquiry.
Ahead of the emergency PTA meeting Gajbhye and Ramteke tried intimidating the students to withdraw their statement but, after their refusal to do so both the accused teachers went missing.
The parents of the students staged a protest outside the Akola police station on Wednesday demanding stringent action against the accused teachers following which district collector Arun Shinde, SDO Sanjay Khadse and Mirge promised the students and parents that strict action will be taken against the two teachers.
The two teachers were quoted by some media saying that they were framed in the case for reportedly complaining about some issues in the school and that they are innocent.