Hyderabad: A teacher working in a Zilla Parishad High School (ZHPS) in Vikarabad has been suspended for marrying a minor girl on Thursday. Vikarabad Collector D. Divya ordered the suspension of P. Mallesh Kumar after the incident was brought to her notice.
P. Mallesh 43, who was working as a government teacher at the Zilla Parishad high school, Somagurthy Pudur Mandal of Vikarabad has been suspended by the district collector for marrying a 16-year-old girl without divorcing his first wife. The accused is a father of a nine-year-old.
Vikarabad police filed an FIR in March 2017 against the accused after receiving a complaint from the first wife. He has been chargesheeted under provisions 494, 496, 506/rw 34 IPC section 9 and 10 of the Child Marriages Prohibition Act 2006.
Ms Divya said, “The issue was brought to my notice recently. Police are investigating the matter and charge sheets have been filed. In the meanwhile the accused has been suspended as per the rules.” Balala Hakkula Sangham brought this to the notice of the Human Rights Commission seeking directions for suspension and a criminal case against the teacher on July 11. On Thursday, Ms Divya ordered the suspension of the teacher.
Balala Hakkula Sangham President Achyuta Rao said, “We condem the attitude of the teacher. As a stake holder to prevent child marriages he himself married a minor and should be punished under the provisions of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and Rape’’.
He adds, “This is not the first time but the accused also married another minor girl before this with false promises, the FIR was registered in March but there was no action taken against the teacher, that is why we lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission after the incident came to light’’.
