Akola: In another disturbing incident amidst outrage sweeping Maharashtra over the Badlapur child abuse tragedy that has horrified many, a 42-year-old school teacher in Akola district was arrested for repeatedly molesting six Class 8 students over four months.
The accused, identified as Pramod Sardar, allegedly showed the students pornographic videos on his mobile phone before touching them inappropriately. According to a Times of India report, the abuse took place on the premises of a Zilla Parishad school in Kazikheda hamlet, located 40 kilometres from Akola city.
The incident came to light after one of the victims reportedly mustered the courage to call the 1098 Child Helpline. The identity of the complainant has not been revealed, but the complaint led to an investigation by the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).
CWC Members Visit School To Find Truth
On Tuesday, CWC members visited the school under the pretext of conducting an hour-long session with the students. They requested to speak to the Class 8 girls individually, during which the victims disclosed the trauma they had endured for the past four months.
Upon hearing the girls’ testimonies, the CWC members immediately contacted the police. Gopal Dhole, the police inspector at Ural police station, told TOI, “We received a call from a CWC member and dispatched a police team to the school to record the statements of the juvenile girls.” The police then took Pramod Sardar into custody, charging him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and other relevant sections of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
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The principal of the school, Ravindra Samdur, expressed his shock at the revelations, stating that he was unaware of the abuse. “If I had known about this, I would have been the first to act. It was only when the CWC team spoke to the girls that we learned about the crime,” Samdur said.
Asha Mirje, a former member of the Women’s Commission, condemned the incident and called for the strictest action against the accused teacher. She also emphasized the responsibility of the entire school staff, questioning how such abuse could occur on school grounds without anyone noticing.
