Govt art teacher held under Pocso Act in Tirupur

COIMBATORE: A government school teacher in Tirupur has been arrested under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (Pocso) on Thursday for misbehaving with girl students.

The police said Madan Kumar, an art master at the Government Higher Secondary School in Komaralingam near Madathukulam, misbehaved with girl students.

The issue came to light after some girl students raised the issue during an awareness campaign organised by District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) authorities in the school a few days ago.

Based on a complaint by school headmaster V Mariappan to Tirupur Chief Education Officer (CEO) Punitha Anthoniammal, a team of education department officials conducted an inquiry with students on September 15.

As the inquiry confirmed the offence, the headmaster filed a complaint with the All Women’s Police Station (AWPS) in Udumalpettai.

A case was registered under the Pocso Act; the accused was arrested, produced in a court in Udumalpettai and remanded in judicial custody to be lodged in Coimbatore Central Prison.

The probe revealed that Madan Kumar had earlier misbehaved with girl students at the Government Higher Secondary School in Madathukulam, where he was working previously. However, he was then let off after he tendered a written apology to the school authorities.