KRISHNAGIRI: Three teachers of a govt school in Krishnagiri district were on Wednesday arrested for the gangrape of a 13-year-old student. The incident came to light on Tuesday when the headmistress visited the girl’s home to check on her as she had been absent from school for a while. The girl’s parents told the headmistress that she had been gang-raped by three teachers.
The headmistress lodged a complaint with the district Child Line the same night. Officials visited the girl’s home and initiated an investigation. Subsequently, they reported the matter to police.
Police sources said one of the teachers had first raped the girl. The other two later came to know about it and all three of them again raped the girl. TOI is not revealing the names of the accused or more details about the crime to protect the girl’s identity. “We have arrested the three accused following investigation,” said Krishnagiri SP P Thangadurai. Charges under the Pocso Act have been filed against all three teachers. They have also been suspended from service.
The girl’s family, relatives and residents of the area came out in public on Wednesday and demanded action against the teachers involved. They dispersed after the SP assured them that the culprits would not be spared.
The girl was taken to Krishnagiri Government Medical College and Hospital for a medical examination. Collector S Dinesh Kumar said the girl was not pregnant, adding “the claim that the girl had an abortion is false”.
Sexual assault case: Survivor receiving mental health support
The girl is receiving mental health support from psychiatrists and psychologists, collector Dinesh Kumar said.
AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami said chief minister M K Stalin should take full responsibility for the incident, adding “girls are not safe in govt schools and colleges.”
Palaniswami criticised Stalin for accusing him of inciting fear and asked what DMK ministers had to say about this situation, where there was lack of safety in educational institutions. This is the second sexual assault on a schoolgirl in Krishnagiri district in the past six months.
(The victim’s identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)
