Salem: Assistant school head master held for sexual assault

SALEM: In a shocking episode, the assistant head master (HM) of a government higher secondary school near Salem has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a Plus-2 class girl, resulting in the poor girl turning pregnant.

Police said on Sunday that the assistant HM of the higher secondary school at Kaakapalayam near here, who also teaches Chemistry to students, misbehaved with the girl student who comes from Namakkal and allegedly raped her recently.

The incident came to light when the girl realised she was carrying and cried to her classmates. The other teachers in the school also came to know about it, leading to a gloomy situation in the school.

Even as the district educational authorities visited the school on Friday for a spot enquiry on the episode, a large number of girl students along with their parents gheraoed the school and demanded severe action against the assistant HM, whose name was given as Mr. Balaji hailing from nearby village of Aataiyampatti.

Police on information who rushed to the school then pacified the agitating students and their parents and ensured their peaceful dispersal after assuring them that the law will take its course against the assistant HM.

Following up on their assurance, police registered a case against Balaji for offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The assistant HM who had already gone on medical leave by then went into hiding, knowing that the police were on the lookout for him.

However, police nabbed the teacher on Saturday night and formally arrested him. They sent a report to the Salem district education officer, who after perusing the report, at once suspended Mr. Balaji. The ugly episode has sent shock waves across the steel town and neighbouring districts as it involved an assistant HM.