CHENNAI: Chennai Police on Wednesday arrested a 45-year-old teacher of a government school under the Pocso (protection of children from sexual offences) Act for sexually harassing girl students at the school over a period time.

The accused, R Sridhar, (45), from Anna Nagar was working as a chemistry teacher. Police investigations revealed that the man, father of a daughter, had been misbehaving with the girls in the pretext of being ‘friendly’. For some months, he has been touching the girls inappropriately and also sending obscene messages on Whatsapp to the students, said a police officer.

One of the students shared about the accused teacher, Sridhar’s overtures with a female teacher in the school, who informed the District Child Welfare Committee.

A team from the committee conducted investigations in the school and found the allegations to be true, after which a complaint was filed with the All women police station (AWPS).

Police have procured audio clips of the phone call the teacher made with a student, where he discussed about him ‘crossing the line’ with the students and asking to delete the exchange of messages he had with them.

The child welfare committee have also submitted an extract of the teacher’s WhatsApp chats with the students, filled with innuendos.

Thirumangalam AWPS booked Sridhar under sections of the Pocso Act, Sections of IT (information technology) Act and Section 506 (Punishment for Criminal Intimidation) of IPC. He was produced before a magistrate and remanded in judicial custody.

Last year, teachers from reputed private schools in the city were arrested under the Pocso Act after several alumni took to social media to complain about sexual harassment by them

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