53-year-old teacher arrested for molesting Class 9 student

A 53-year-old teacher in Mumbai arrested for molesting a 14-year-old student since January. Incident came to light after girl's marks dropped. Sent to police custody.

MUMBAI: The police on Wednesday arrested a 53-year-old teacher for allegedly molesting a 14-year-old girl multiple times since January. The incident came to light when the Class 9 girl, a meritorious student, started getting fewer marks and was referred to a counsellor, where she started crying and revealed that she was being molested, said police sources.

53-year-old teacher arrested for molesting Class 9 student

The teacher, a resident of Thane, was arrested and produced before the Special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act court has sent him to one-day police custody.

“The complainant is a 14-year-old student who studies in a South Mumbai school for underprivileged girls.” said a police officer. “The incident has been happening since January. The girl, who is a meritorious student, started losing marks, which her other teachers noticed. The teachers then spoke about it to their regular counsellors, who called the minor for a session when the girl broke down and revealed her ordeal. She told the counsellor that she was distracted as her 53-year-old teacher stalked her and touched her inappropriately,” said the police officer.

The counsellor immediately reported the incident to the trust, and they approached the police.

A case was registered under sections 354 (assaults or criminal force on any woman intending to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment) and 354D (stalking) of the Indian Penal Code and section 8 (punishment for sexual assault) and 12 (punishment for sexual harassment) of the POCSO Act.