Headmaster & teacher of Karnataka govt school suspended over sexual harassment case

The inquiry against the headmaster and the male teacher was ordered based on the complaints received from the parents of the students and School Development and Management Committee members.

Shivamogga: The Deputy Director of the School Education & Literacy Department has issued an order suspending two teachers on charges of sexually abusing girl students in Shivamogga.

Shanthakumar and Nagaraj, serving as teacher and head master, respectively, in a government model higher primary school at Soppinkeri in the taluk are the suspended government employees.

The headmaster has been suspended for not taking action on the sexual abuse complaint by students against teacher Shantakumar. 

Shikaripur Block Education Officer G S Shashidhar told DH that a report had been submitted to the higher official after visiting the school and collecting details based on sexual abuse complaint. Following it, the higher official has taken disciplinary action against the teachers. 

The teacher of the school at Soppinakeri village in Shikaripura taluk was accused of sexually harassing female students aged between nine and 12 for the past few months.

The matter came to the notice of the senior education department officials on December 5, following which a detailed probe into the allegations levelled against the teacher was taken up, officials said.

Shivamogga Deputy Director of Public Instructions C R Parameshwarappa told PTI that the inquiry was ordered based on the complaints received from the parents of the students and School Development and Management Committee members.

The male teacher and the headmaster were suspended on Friday based on the preliminary report submitted by the block education officer of Shikaripura.

The charge against the headmaster, who was not involved in the harassment of students, is that he never took action against the accused teacher nor did he report the matter to any of the higher authorities despite being in the know of the matter, officials said.

"The headmaster attempted to suppress the matter which is why he was also suspended in connection with the incident. A detailed investigation is underway," Parameshwarappa added.

According to officials, the School Development and Management Committee members also approached a senior officer at the Shikaripura rural police station following which they registered a case under the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences Act against the accused teacher on December 9.

The matter has also been intimated to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC). As part of police investigation, the statements of the girl students have been recorded and medical examination of the victims done.

Further action will be taken based on the report of the CWC, the officials added.

With PTI inputs