Pocso case filed against teacher and doctor in minor assault and abortion case

Chitradurga: A case was registered under the Pocso Act at the Talaku police station in Challakere taluk against a mathematics teacher from a govt higher primary school in the Nannivala gram panchayat area of Challakere taluk for alleged sexual assault on a minor girl who previously studied there.Meanwhile, the accused teacher try to die by suicide by consuming poison and was admitted to Chigateri Hospital in Davanagere. On April 9, district child protection officer Rekha N filed a complaint with the police against teacher Rajanna and Dr Shankarlakshmi regarding the sexual assault on the minor girl.The 16-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted by the accused teacher, HO Rajanna, on Aug 26, 2025, while returning to her village with her mother after attending the Gaurasamudra Maramma Devi festival. The incident occurred at a cornfield in the teacher's native village Talaku.Police said the teacher reportedly assaulted the girl multiple times afterwards, even though the survivor joined high school in Challakere. This resulted in her pregnancy, which was brought to light by teachers in the high school.Upon learning about the pregnancy, the accused teacher allegedly forced the girl to abort it, and made arrangements at Lakshmi Srinivasa Nursing Home in Challakere with help from Dr Shankarlakshmi on March 1, 2026, at 3am.A case was filed against both the teacher and the doctor at the Talaku police station on Thursday night, and the police initiated an investigation. Following the revelation of the sexual assault, Chandana, the coordinator of the Child Helpline Project, visited the village on April 8 to gather information from the survivor's family.