Thiruvananthapuram: Kilimanoor police have registered a POCSO case against a woman teacher for spreading false allegations of sexual assault involving a female Plus One student at Madavoor. The incident led to the suspension of Hindi teacher C R Chandralekha, 42, by the management of Raja Ravi Varma Girls Higher Secondary School, after her claims were found baseless.

Chandralekha accused a fellow teacher, Vishnu, 35, of sexually abusing the student and impregnating her — claims that police say were fabricated. The motive behind this false story was reportedly to remove Vishnu from the school and gain influence in the school management. Police revealed tensions existed between Chandralekha and Vishnu over management control, with Chandralekha and her husband, also a teacher, seeking to join the management against Vishnu’s opposition.

The false allegations were shared widely on school WhatsApp groups and a YouTube video was aired featuring images of the student and Vishnu. The girl, who had been absent for epilepsy treatment, faced social humiliation upon her return, causing her to skip classes.

Education Minister V Sivankutty assured a transparent investigation, demanding a report from the deputy director of education within a week. “Falsely accusing someone, especially harming a child’s reputation, is a serious crime and will be punished accordingly,” he stated.

The student’s parents have filed complaints with the Chief Minister’s office, child welfare committee, and SC/ST commission. Earlier this year, Chandralekha and Vishnu had a dispute linked to a missing lab attendance book, and the girl’s parents claim similar allegations were made last year.