COIMBATORE: A 42-year-old English teacher of a government school has been arrested under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (Pocso) for sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy in Krishnagiri.

Police arrested the accused Hussain on Friday after the victim, studying class ten, attempted to end his life by hanging in a tree on Thursday.

Police said the boy had attended the marriage function of another teacher’s son on February 1, when Hussain sexually abused him in the toilet of the marriage hall.

The boy reported the issue to the school headmaster, who allegedly asked him not to reveal the incident to anyone. Meanwhile, the victim’s friends began teasing him over the issue.

Driven by depression, the boy attempted to end his life by hanging in a tree near his house on Thursday night. The shocked parents and neighbours rescued him and gheraoed the school in protest on Friday.

Following this, the cops from All Women Police Station (AWPS) arrested him under the Pocso Act. Chief Education Officer (CEO) A Muniraj and Child Welfare and Protection Unit authorities held an inquiry with the students and teachers of the school.

Meanwhile, police arrested three teachers of a government higher secondary school in Malliakarai, in Salem, on Friday, for covering up the sexual assault on a class seven girl by three boys studying XI on the school premises.

The arrested were identified as headmaster Muthuramalingam (58), and two other teachers Rajendran (58), and Banupriya (37).