Govt schoolteacher held for sexually harassing female students in Namakkal

Namakkal: A govt schoolteacher was on Thursday arrested under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act for sexually harassing female students.The accused, Senthil, joined a panchayat union middle school near Tiruchengode six months ago after being transferred from Sullipalayam govt school. He is the state general secretary of Graduate Teachers Association. According to a police official, Senthil misbehaved with girl students by touching them inappropriately and making improper remarks. "Students informed school headmistress Shanthi about the misconduct on several occasions. Shanthi then made a verbal complaint to Lathipalayam regional education officer Valarmathi and alerted Child Welfare Committee chairman advocate Balasubramaniam, who conducted a separate inquiry with the minors," the official said. Based on the findings, the School Education Department placed Senthil under suspension on March 6. However, no police complaint was made at that stage. Later, Namakkal district unit of Students Federation of India submitted a complaint to the education dept officials and urged that a police case be registered, and mental health support and protection be provided to the affected students. Based on a complaint lodged by Namakkal district child protection officer Nalini, the Tiruchengode all-woman police registered a case and arrested Senthil on Thursday under the Pocso Act. "He was produced before a court and lodged in Tiruchengode sub-jail under judicial custody," the official said.