KASARGOD: A teacher of an aided school at Karivedakam in Kuttikol grama panchayat has been charged with molesting nine girl students of standard 4. The Bedakam police slapped POCSO and section 354 of IPC (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) on the accused who is absconding. One of the parents had tipped off the Childline about the incident that happened last month. More cases turned up later, but the parents were reluctant to reveal the facts. "We spoke to all the students and counselled them. Then the girls aged 8 and 9 years disclosed their harrowing experience. First, five parents came forward to approach the police," said Childline district coordinator Anish Jose.
Aadhur inspector M.A. Mathew, who heads the probe, said that the same teacher had allegedly molested one of the girls last year also. "The alleged molestation happened on a single day last month. The teacher gave them dictation in a free period and asked each of them to come with the answer. The plaint is that he allegedly touched their private parts," he said. There was also allegation that the school management tried to hush up the matter. Though the police searched the house of the accused, no details were available.
