Ludhiana | PT teacher booked for harassing girl students over phone
The PT teacher at Government Senior Secondary School, Swaddi Kalan, Ludhiana, allegedly used to call the girl students at odd hours and send inappropriate messages
A physical training instructor (PTI) at Government Senior Secondary School, Swaddi Kalan, has been booked for allegedly sending inappropriate messages to girl students and forcing them to talk to him over phone at odd hours. The accused, Kanwar Manwant Singh, also allegedly threatened the girls against revealing the matter to anyone.
The FIR was lodged on the statement of school principal Jasvir Kaur, following the intervention of Punjab State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights. The PT teacher has now been suspended by the department.
The matter had come to the fore in May when some students filed a written complaint with the school principal. They alleged that the accused used to repeatedly call them and if they did not pick up, he would flood their phone with messages. One girl stated that the accused used to enquire about the whereabouts of a female teacher. Another girl stated that when she did not pick up his call, the accused rang up her mother.
Students present screenshots
Following the complaint, the principal initiated a probe. The students presented some screenshots of the messages allegedly sent by the PT teacher and also the timings of the calls at odd hours.
After an inquiry, the principal informed the education department, which set up another committee to investigate the matter.
The screenshots also confirmed that the PTI was threatening the girls who were not talking to him. After the inquiry, the department had suspended the PTI on June 5. However, the department did not inform the police.
FIR lodged after Child Rights’ body intervenes
After some activists raised the matter, the Punjab State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights, on June 9, sought a report from the district education officer on why an FIR was not lodged. Following this, the principal lodged an FIR at Sidhwan Bet police station on Saturday.
Assistant sub-inspector (ASI) Daljit Singh, in-charge at Bhundhari police post, said an FIR under Sections 354-A (sexual harassment), 354-D (stalking), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 12 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has been registered. A hunt is on for the accused.
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Not the first case
April 8: A government teacher harassed a Class-10 student during the first-term examination. The accused wrote his mobile number on the question paper of the student, asking her to call him.
April 8: A government teacher raped a Class-12 student for months after taking her to various hotels. The victim had posted a letter to the police commissioner, narrating the whole incident following which a probe was ordered.
