TIRUNELVELI: A government middle school headmaster was sentenced to seven years rigorous imprisonment for molesting and sexually harassing eight
girl students
. The convict was also slapped with Rs 1.5 lakh fine.
C
Nambirajan
, 52, of
Thirukurungudi
was the headmaster of a panchayat union school in a village under the jurisdiction of Valliyoor all
women police station
.
Public prosecutor Jeba Jeeva Raja said Nambirajan had molested and misbehaved with the girls for a while. It came to light when the district child protection unit (DCPU) received a complaint.
The Valliyoor all women police began inquiries based on the complaint received from the DCPU in March 2017. Inquiries conducted on March 16 and 17, 2017 revealed that he had molested and harassed at least eight girls studying in classes VII and VIII.
Nambirajan even made a few girls sit on his lap and touched them inappropriately during a tour.
He was booked under sections 10 (punishment for aggravated sexual assault) read with 9(f) (member of management or staff of
educational institution
commits sexual assault on a child in that institution), 9(m) (sexual assault on a child below 12 years) and 9(l) (sexual assault on child more than once) and section 12 (punishment for sexual harassment) read with 11(iv) (entices a child for pornographic purposes or gives gratification) of the Pocso Act.
He was arrested and remanded for 14 days, before he was released on bail.
On completion of the trial, special court judge P Indhirani sentenced him to three counts of seven years each as he was found guilty under Section 10 and three counts of three years each under Section 12, all to be served concurrently. A total fine of Rs 1.5 lakh was also slapped on him, the prosecution said.
Following his arrest, Nambirajan was placed under suspension. A copy of the verdict would be sent to the school education department to dismiss him from service.
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