Hyderabad: Hostel warden arrested for sexually harassing minor boys in a residential school

A senior police officer from the Hayathnagar Police Station told South First: “After the victims’ parents complained to us against the accused, we investigated the matter with the school authorities and arrested Murram Krishna.”

He added that the parents learnt about the incident only after the boys informed them about his ordeal the same day.

“The accused threatened the seven minor boys not to reveal the matter to anyone. But due to repeated harassment, some of them felt embarrassed and, unable to bear the harassment, told their parents about the entire ordeal,” said the police officer.

The police have booked the accused under IPC Sections 504 (intentionally insult an individual) and 506 (criminal intimidation), and under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The suspect was produced in front of the judicial magistrate and has been sent to judicial custody for 14 days.

The cops said Krishna was working in the boys’ hostel for the past month and was residing there.

“To fulfil his sexual desires, the accused used to visit the rooms, and on finding the boys alone, would forcefully show them pornographic videos,” the police said.

“He also used to touch their private parts inappropriately and harass them regularly. Many a time, the accused entered bathrooms while the students were naked,” the cops added.

Good touch, bad touch programme

After the case came to light, the Rachakonda Police launched an awareness programme about “good touch” and “bad touch” in all the schools and colleges, especially hostels and primary schools.

Apart from details of good and bad touches, the advocacy programme also includes know-how for children to report such incidents to their parents.

Meanwhile, the children in the case are being sent for counselling to help them recover from the mental agony and harassment they suffered.