A 38-year-old teacher working at a government-aided school in Mudukulathur, Ramanathapuram district in Tamil Nadu, has been arrested for allegedly sexually harassing a Class 9 student.
According to the reports, the Tamil Nadu police have arrested the teacher, identified as A Habeeb Mohammed, on Tuesday after he was caught sexually harassing a Class 9 girl student during a phone call.
The police have accessed the audio clips of this purported conversation, in which a man allegedly identified as Habeeb Mohammed was heard making sexually inappropriate conversation with the child and inviting her to his house without her parent’s knowledge.
In the clips, the man is heard making vulgar comments about several other girls studying at the school. It is alleged that the teacher Habeeb Mohammed had tried to coerce the child into sexual activity in exchange for good marks. The girl had informed her family about the sexual harassment, who then filed a complaint against the teacher.
Upon receiving a complaint, a team led by Additional Superintendent of Police S Loyola Ignatius and Mudukulathur police investigated the issue. Mudukulathur police arrested Habeeb Mohammed based on the complaint, and an FIR has been registered under Section 11 read with 12 of the POCSO Act and Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act.
Following the incident, the Ramanathapuram district police have urged students who may have faced sexual violence from the teacher to come forward and give information about such cases.
Promising anonymity, the district police have urged other students to come forward and report the harassment meted out to them by Habeeb Mohammed. SP E Karthik has warned of stern action under the POCSO Act and Juvenile Justice Act against those involved in such crimes.
Meanwhile, Chief Educational Officer Sathya Moorthy said the accused teacher, who had served the school for nine years, has been suspended.