Primary school teacher in Mandi held on POCSO charges

Mandi (HP): A primary school teacher has been arrested in this Himachal Pradesh district for offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, police said on Sunday.

The accused was arrested on Saturday following a complaint from four girl students of the school located in the Ladbadol area of Jogindernagar subdivision.

After the complaint was lodged on child helpline number 1098, a police team visited the area, met with the four “victims” and subsequently, the case was registered at the Jogindernagar police station.

The accused was arrested and produced in a court that remanded him in police custody for three days. He would be produced in the court again on Monday, Jogindernagar Station House Officer (SHO) Ashwani Kumar said.

The students have alleged that the accused used to ask girls to show their private parts to him and also show his private parts to them. Of the four “victims”, two are primary school students while two are in Class 6.

During their investigation, police also met with other students and their guardians.

The Jogindernagar unit of the Akhil Bharatiya Janbadi Mahila Samiti has demanded a high-level inquiry in the matter and alleged that such types of crimes are increasing in the hill state.