Seven staff members of a school in Pimpri Chinchwad, Maharashtra, including the Principal, Physical Training (PT) teacher, a trustee, and four others, have been arrested by the Pune Police in connection with the alleged sexual harassment of a minor student.
The arrests took place on Friday evening, according to police reports. Officials revealed that the main accused, the PT teacher, had allegedly sexually harassed the girl student repeatedly over the past two years.
“This isn’t the first time the PT teacher has faced such allegations,” the police said. “He had previously been booked and arrested on charges of molestation under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and had served time in jail.”
Despite his conviction, the school authorities chose to retain him, leading to the arrest of six other staff members, including the Principal and trustee, for their negligence and complicity in the matter, the police added.
The police registered a case under the POCSO Act and Sections 74, 78, 79, 351(2), and 115(2) of the BNS at Nigdi police station, following a formal complaint filed by the victim’s father. Further investigation into the case is ongoing.
