A 43-year-old secondary grade teacher was arrested on Saturday in Salem under the POCSO Act for allegedly sexually harassing five girl students. The accused, employed at a panchayat union middle school on the city’s outskirts, was handling classes 4 and 5.
According to officials, the teacher inappropriately touched the girls in the classroom over recent days. One student informed her parents about the abuse, prompting them to approach the headmaster, who conducted an initial inquiry and identified five victims.
Following this, the children called the child helpline number 1098 on Thursday to report the incidents. The Child Welfare Committee (CWC) then questioned the students and the teacher, confirming the allegations.