Parents, cops clash over minor’s abuse

KOLKATA:Parents PROTESTING PARENTS ALLEGED THAT A MALE TEACHER SEXUALLY HARASSED A SIXYEAROLD BOY AND WAS HIDING INSIDE THE SCHOOL FOR SAFETY

of the children studying in a south Kolkatabased school staged a protest on Tuesday after a six-year-old student was allegedly molested by a teacher. The protests soon turned violent with policemen resorting to lathicharge against the agitators.

The accused teacher was arrested, said a police officer.

The school is situated in Dhakuria, a middle class neighbourhood in south Kolkata.

“The accused has been arrested. We appeal to the guardians to understand that the law will deal with the accused. Policemen have been injured,” said Santosh Nimbalkar, deputy commissioner, Southern Suburban Division, Kolkata Police.

Protesting parents alleged that a male teacher sexually harassed a six-year-old boy a few days ago.

According to allegations, the child, who was harassed, was a student of the morning section. The school has two sections. Word spread that the accused was hiding inside the school, fol- lowing which some of the agitating parents tried to enter the school forcefully, triggering a scuffle with the policemen.

Policemen who rushed to the spot alleged that stones were thrown at them by protesters as well as by some from the houses near the school.

Stones littered the area. Agitated guardians vandalised a two-wheeler parked outside the school that allegedly belonged to the teacher.

TV channels showed images of a woman bleeding profusely from the forehead after she was allegedly hit on the head by cops. The district inspector of schools visited the institution.

It may be noted that the city was rocked by incidents of sexual harassment in schools, earlier this year.