Probe launched as girl students allege sexual harassment by two teachers of government school near Coimbatore

The Coimbatore District (Rural) Police, the School Education Department, and the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU) have launched an investigation after three girl students levelled allegations of sexual harassment against two teachers of a government school near Coimbatore.

The girls, who claimed to be students of the school, made the allegations in two videos circulated on messaging platforms on Friday.

The girls, with their faces masked, accused two male teachers of touching girl students inappropriately and looking at them with a bad intent.

They alleged that the music teacher touched them inappropriately while they were practising dance. The botany teacher was accused of touching girls inappropriately on the pretext of patting them as a gesture of encouragement. The girls accused another male teacher of coming to school under the influence of alcohol.

Parents not informed

The students said they were disclosing their ordeals in public as the school authorities did not provide any relief. They said they did not inform their parents, fearing that their schooling would be discontinued.

In a separate audio note, reportedly sent to a journalist, a girl claiming to be a Class X student of the same school alleged that her senior had warned her of such behaviour by the two male teachers. The girl added that she decided to speak out as she did not want her sibling, studying in the same school, to undergo a similar ordeal.

No formal complaint

Superintendent of Police K. Karthikeyan said the allegations were being probed, though no formal complaint had been received. “A police team, comprising an Additional Superintendent of Police (Crime against Women and Children), a Deputy Superintendent of Police, and two women Inspectors, conducted an inquiry in the school. The team spoke to 50% of the girl students and recorded their statements, as on Thursday evening. Further investigation is on,” he said.

Chief Educational Officer R. Balamurali said the District Educational Officer was asked to conduct an inquiry. He added that the Department had not received any formal complaint against the teachers.

“Counselling sessions are being conducted for all students of the school, and further action would be taken once the required procedures are completed,” a DCPU official said.

A police source said a woman, who recorded one of the videos and asked questions to the girl students from behind the camera, was asked to appear for an inquiry on Saturday.