Police visited the school to conduct an awareness session on sex education and the students reported inappropriate behaviour of the teacher.
Published Jul 04, 2025 | 12:50 PM ⚊ Updated Jul 04, 2025 | 12:50 PM
Sexual harassment. (iStock)
Synopsis: A science teacher at a government school in Tamil Nadu was arrested and remanded to judicial custody for allegedly sexually harassing 21 girl students. It was uncovered when police visited the school to conduct an awareness session on sex education.
A science teacher was arrested and remanded to judicial custody at midnight on Thursday, 3 July, for allegedly sexually harassing 21 girl students studying at a government school near Udhagamandalam in the Nilgiris district of Tamil Nadu.
Senthilkumar (50), a resident of the Hope Park area near Kotagiri in Nilgiris district, has been serving as a science teacher in various government schools across Tamil Nadu for the past 23 years.
In June last year, he joined a government school near Udhagamandalam, where he has been teaching science to students from the sixth standard to the eighth standard.
A few days ago, police visited the school to conduct an awareness session on sex education. During the session, students were given information about “good touch” and “bad touch.”
Following the session, a 12-year-old girl studying in sixth standard reported that the science teacher, Senthilkumar, had touched her inappropriately. Similar allegations were made by other students, who stated that he had touched them on the chest, back, and other parts of the body. Some also alleged that he had kissed them on certain occasions.
In total, complaints were received from 21 girl students. Police officials informed Nilgiris District Superintendent of Police (SP) NS Nisha and officials from the Child Welfare Department.
Based on the complaints, a case was registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. A team led by Udhagamandalam Rural Police Inspector Vijaya conducted an investigation, arrested Senthilkumar, and produced him before the Udhagamandalam court at midnight. He was then remanded to judicial custody.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil with inputs from Subash Chandra Bose.)
