A 35-year-old teacher ofIslamia Model Middle School Ajas here in Bandipora was booked by police on Friday after he allegedly molested a 7th class girl student in the school premises.
The police have booked theteacher after the ‘victim’ filed a complaint against him.
People in the area staged protest and observed complete shutdowndemanding stern action against the accused.
A police officer quoting the ‘victim’ said that the girl students alleged that the teacher ‘sexually harassed’ her and also threatenedher that he would fail her in examinations if she informed anyone.
The teacher has earlier been warned by the schoolheadmaster for ‘harassing’ the girl students, sources said.
Police quoting the complaint said that a 14 year old girl student (namewithheld) of Islamia Model Middle School Ajas alleged sexual harassment by TahirAhmed Rather son of Mumtaz Ahmed Rather , a resident of Ajas, last on Thursday.
“Teacher has been allegedly harassing the girl for sexual favors. Unable totolerate this, the girl informed her parents, who along with the ‘victim’ lodged a complaint with police,” police sources said.
Angered with teacher’s attitude, the girl’s parents along with somelocals confronted Tahir in the school premises, but the teacher managed to escapefrom there.
After the incident, ‘victim’ along with the family members and locals filed a complaint at the local police station in Ajas.
Today (Friday) locals alleged that the police has taken no action against theaccused.
The people in the area tookto roads and staged a protest on Srinagar-Bandipora road, besides observingshutdown, after which police swung into action under the public pressure and arrested the accused.
“Police earlier tried to cover-up the case under political pressure. It was after public resentment that police arrested the accused and lodged FIR,” protesters said.
Meanwhile the teacher (Tahir Rather) has been terminated by the school management yesterdaykeeping in view the growing public resentment.
“On request of the parents of the ‘victim’ and Chairman School Management, an on the spot verification was conducted and keeping all the facts and situation in mind, teacher Tahir Ahmed Rather’s services are hereby terminated from June 27,” a statement issued by School Management read.
Police has registered a caseagainst the schoolteacher in Police Station Sumbal under FIR No 114 U/S 294 RPC based on complaint lodged by the ‘victim’ and has initiated investigation, police told Rising Kashmir.
“We have arrested the accused teacher and initiated the investigations against him,” Superintendent of Police Bandipora Bashir Ahmed Khan said.