Teacher suspended as five students allege sexual harassment, '15 quit school in 2 yrs'

GHAZIABAD: A teacher at an upper primary school was suspended by the education department after five of his students accused him of sexually harassing them in classes or on campus.

Though the five girls made official complaints to the school, which is the only govt-run facility in a village in Muradnagar, over the past two weeks, locals told TOI on Wednesday that the problem ran deeper. They said that at least 15 girls in classes 6-8 had made similar allegations against the teacher in the last two years but no one filed formal complaints because he would threaten the students. The gram pradhan said that at least 8 girls left the school this year, and another 7 last year. "Their parents said the teacher sexually harassed the girls," he said.

He added that 80 students were enrolled in the school in 2019, but its strength is now 48. Many of the students who withdrew from the school were girls, he said.

According to education department officials, the teacher, in his mid-40s, taught geography and history, and was promoted and transferred to the school in the Muradnagar village in 2018. They said he was earlier posted to Bhadauli and Husainpur villages in Ghaziabad, where similar accusations were made against him, but the department did not get any official complaints.

A 16-year-old girl, among the five students who have now complained against the teacher, told TOI he would "forcefully" and "inappropriately" touch the girls. "If we protested, he would threaten us against telling anyone and beat us up. Out of fear, we could not say anything. He had beaten up two other girls in my class earlier. This was going on for two years," the girl said.

Two sisters - aged 15 and 16, and in classes 7 and 8 - were also among the five complainants. The two stopped going to school two months back. "He would enter the classroom and forcefully embrace me and touch me. It was uncomfortable and horrifying," one of the sisters said.

Their mother said the girls dreamt of becoming a doctor and police officers, but there are no other govt schools in the village and the family can't afford private school education. "I cannot risk my daughters' lives and dignity. My husband works as a daily wage earner. If the teacher is changed, we can send our daughters to school again," the mother said.

Another woman said her 16-year-old daughter was told to stay in school by the teacher for another year even though she had cleared Class 8 and had sought a transfer certificate in 2023.

"We did not understand the reason then. My daughter was furious and cried that she did not want to attend this school," the woman said. The girl left her schooling.

Locals said parents had informed the school's in charge several times about the teacher, but she did not act against him. "The in-charge would blame our daughters. She did not care to take action against the teacher. At last, we reached out to the education department to raise a complaint," said a parent of a 14-year-old, who was allegedly targeted by the teacher.

The school in-charge did not respond to multiple requests for comment till Wednesday evening.

Education department officials said the parents have not filed any police complaint till now. "But the teacher has been suspended from the position. He will be assigned to official department duties till the investigation report is submitted," said Jamuna Prasad, block education officer, Muradnagar. Basic shiksha adhikari OP Yadav said a committee has been formed to investigate the allegations and "action will be taken accordingly".

The teacher could not be reached for comment.


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