Residents of Kallamundkur village are expressing dismay over the delayed arrest of a teacher accused of sexual harassment at the local government school under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The incident unfolded when the school’s Headmaster lodged a complaint at Moodbidre Police Station on March 13 against the accused teacher, Guruva Mogera, a resident of Dharmasthala in Belthangady taluk. The complaint alleged that Mogera had sexually harassed female students of the school on February 28. Subsequently, a case was registered against him under the POCSO Act at the Woman’s Police Station in Mangalore.
An inquiry, involving officials from the education department, child welfare authorities, and officers from the Woman’s Police Station, was conducted. During the inquiry, students provided written testimony against the accused teacher.
Former President of the Old Students Association, Dhananjay, criticized the police department for negligence in apprehending the accused. He also noted the reluctance of locals to take further steps, attributing it to the support Mogera receives from his own caste community. Dhananjay emphasized that no group or community should shelter a criminal who has harmed children.
Reports from local media indicated that Mogera was freely moving around the village even after a case was filed against him on March 14, prompting intensified efforts by the police and other concerned departments to locate him.
Dayanand, another member of the community, highlighted that even former students had come forward to accuse the teacher of sexual harassment. He criticized the delay in the arrest, attributing it to what he perceived as the police department’s negligence.
In response to the concerns raised, Panambur Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Manoj Kumar Naik assured that police teams were actively working to apprehend the accused. Naik stated confidently that Mogera would be arrested soon.
