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Are Dravidian Model Govt Schools Safe? Alarming Rise In Sexual Assault Cases In TN Govt Schools

February 24, 2025
The Commune

The situation in Tamil Nadu is becoming increasingly alarming as more and more cases of sexual harassment involving girl students in government-run schools are being reported daily. Even within a span of 48 hours, 3-4 cases of sexual assault have been reported. Despite this surge in incidents, neither the ruling DMK nor the School Education Department has taken significant measures to address the issue. Here are some recent cases of sexual harassment in Tamil Nadu government schools

Lab Assistant Arrested Under POCSO Act For Sexual Harassment In Salem Government School

Kumaresan (57), a lab assistant at a government school in Salem, was arrested under the POCSO Act for allegedly sexually harassing female students.

The incident occurred a few days ago when Kumaresan reportedly harassed the girls who were in the school lab. The students reported the incident to their class teacher, who then informed the headmaster, Ilango. In response, Ilango notified the district child protection office officials.

Officials from the district child protection office visited the school, personally investigated the students, and confirmed the harassment allegations against Kumaresan. Subsequently, the headmaster filed a complaint at the Ammapettai police station.

Following the complaint, the Ammapettai police conducted an investigation and arrested Kumaresan under the POCSO Act. He was produced in court and has since been sent to Salem Central Jail.

Govt. Teacher In Trichy Arrested For Alleged Sexual Harassment Of Second-Grade Student

A second-grade student at a Podhavur government primary school in Trichy was reportedly subjected to sexual harassment.

The incident took place while the student was cleaning the classroom at a school in the Podhavur area of Trichy district. During this time, a teacher at the school allegedly sexually harassed the student.

The girl’s parents filed a complaint with the police, leading to the arrest of the teacher, Jayaraj Susainathan. Initial police investigations have also uncovered some additional information related to the incident. It has been revealed that there have been sexual harassment complaints against this teacher for the past ten years. It appears he has been threatening the affected students and their parents during this period. Subsequently, a POCSO case has been registered against the teacher, who was produced before a judge and has been sent to jail.

Govt. School Headmaster In Pudukottai Arrested For Alleged Sexual Harassment Of Several Female Students

A 58-year-old assistant headmaster of a government high school in Pudukottai was arrested on 17 February 2025 under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for allegedly sexually harassing multiple girl students.

The arrest followed a week-long inquiry by the district child protection officer (DCPO) after a student contacted the Childline helpline (1098) on 10 February 2025, reporting the misconduct. Based on the inquiry, the DCPO lodged a formal complaint against the accused for allegedly inappropriately touching female students on the school premises. Following his arrest, the assistant headmaster was produced before the Pudukottai Mahila Court on Tuesday and remanded in judicial custody for 14 days. The Thirumayam all-woman police station has booked him under the POCSO Act and Section 7 of the Juvenile Justice (Protection of Children) Act. Authorities suspect that the accused may have been involved in similar misconduct for several months, though an in-depth investigation is still underway.

Govt. Teacher Commits Suicide Following Allegations Of Sexual Harassment By Student

A government school teacher in Ramanathapuram district died by suicide while under investigation for alleged sexual harassment of female students.

According to sources, the police, school education department officials, and child welfare officers had launched an inquiry into the allegations when the teacher was found dead on Tuesday (18 February 2025) morning. Authorities have not disclosed further details regarding the case.

The body was sent for post-mortem examination, and officials stated that the exact cause of death will be confirmed following the autopsy report. Investigations are ongoing.

Math Teacher Accused Of Sexual Harassment At Tiruppur Corporation School

A math teacher at a corporation school at Noyyal Road in Tiruppur has been accused of sexually harassing multiple students, triggering protests from outraged parents. The accused, identified as Sundara Vadivelu, allegedly targeted seventh-grade students over the past few months.

The issue came to light last Friday (7 February 2025) when parents lodged a complaint with the school principal. Following the allegations, officials, including the Tiruppur District Education Officer, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, and the District Child Protection Officer, launched an investigation. Sources indicate that more than ten children have come forward with complaints so far.

Authorities are also probing whether similar incidents have occurred involving other students, including boys, given that the school has a mixed-gender enrollment of over 700 students.

The accused teacher has been absent from school for the past week, reportedly taking leave before the allegations surfaced. His absence has further fueled tensions, with parents cordoning off the school in protest.

To control the situation, police have been deployed, and officials have urged parents gathered at the school premises to disperse. The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to determine the full extent of the allegations.

Temporary Teacher Arrested For Sexually Harassing Students At Govt School In Yercaud

A shocking incident of sexual harassment has come to light at a government higher secondary school in Yercaud, Salem district, where a temporary graduate teacher has been accused of harassing students. According to reports, Ilayakannu, a 37-year-old teacher from Neyyamali, Bettanayakkanpalayam, Salem district, had been sexually harassing 10th and 11th grade students at the school.

In a swift and decisive move, the Salem District Tribal Welfare Project Officer, Suganthi Parimalam, has ordered the permanent dismissal of the teacher. 

The incident came to light when an 11th standard student from Vellimalai, who is a resident of the school hostel, complained to the school principal that Ilayakannu, a 37-year-old temporary graduate teacher, had been sexually harassing her and four of her friends. The principal immediately informed the Salem District Child Protection and Welfare Committee officials, who conducted an investigation and found the allegations to be true.

A complaint was filed at the Kondambatti All Women’s Police Station, and a case was registered against Ilayakannu under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The police subsequently arrested him.

The Tribal Welfare Department was informed about the incident, and Officer Suganthi Parimalam conducted an investigation, which led to the dismissal of Ilayakannu from his position as a temporary graduate teacher.

The incident has sent shockwaves through the community in Yercaud, and parents of students at the school are demanding greater safety and security measures to protect their children from such incidents in the future. The swift action taken by the Tribal Welfare Officer has been welcomed by social activists, who are calling for greater accountability and stricter measures to prevent such abuses of power and trust.

The government higher secondary school in Yercaud is run by the Tribal Welfare Department, and the incident has raised concerns about the safety and well-being of students, particularly girls, in educational institutions.

Temporary Physical Education Teacher Arrested For Sexually Harassing Student In Salem

In yet another disturbing incident of teacher misconduct, a temporary physical education teacher at a government model school in Kuppur, Sikkampat panchayat of Salem district, has been accused of sexually harassing an 11th grade female student. The incident comes on the heels of similar cases reported in Krishnagiri and Trichy, where teachers and school administrators were accused of abusing female students.

According to reports, Sivakumar, a 40-year-old temporary physical education teacher, allegedly sexually harassed the 11th grade student and violated her by making inappropriate comments about her appearance. The student reported the incident to the school principal, who immediately informed the District Child Protection Commission.

Following an investigation by the commission, it was confirmed that Sivakumar had indeed sexually harassed the student. The principal then filed a complaint against Sivakumar at the Omalur All Women Police Station, and the police registered a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Sivakumar was subsequently arrested and is currently being investigated.

3 Govt School Teachers In Krishnagiri Arrested For Gang-Raping Minor Girl

A disturbing incident, came to light where three teachers have been arrested under the POCSO Act for the sexual assault of a female student at a Panchayat Union middle school near Bargur, in Krishnagiri district.

The victim, an 8th grade student, who had not attended school for over a month, revealed to the school headmistress that she had been sexually assaulted by three teachers from the same school—Arumugam (48), Chinnaswamy (57), and Prakash (37). According to the student, the teachers gang-raped her, resulting in pregnancy and an abortion.

The headmistress, upon learning of the assault, filed a complaint with the Child Welfare Protection Center (Child Line), which then conducted an investigation at the student’s home.The Child Welfare Committee immediately informed the Bargur All Women Police Station, leading to an inquiry by local police and DSP Muthukrishnan.

Following the investigation, the teachers were arrested and charged under the POCSO Act. The victim was sent for a medical examination at the Krishnagiri Government Medical College Hospital.The Krishnagiri District Principal Educational Officer (In-charge), Muniraj, has ordered the suspension of the three teachers pending further investigation.

The incident has shocked the local community, prompting public protests. Residents staged a road blockade near the school, demanding strict action against the accused teachers and a thorough investigation into whether other students had been affected. Police intervened and held discussions with the protesters, eventually dispersing the crowd.

Other Recent Minor Sexual Assault Cases In TN

Let’s take a look at a few other cases of sexual assault on minors in Tamil Nadu.

Manapparai Minor Sexual Assault

The Trichy District Police arrested five individuals, including the trustee and senior staff members of a private CBSE School near Manapparai, following a complaint of sexual harassment of a fourth-grade student. According to the police statement, a trustee of the school and the husband of the principal, allegedly sexually abused a 9-year-old student inside her classroom after sending the teacher outside on 6 February 2025. The victim’s grandmother lodged a written complaint at 10:00 PM the same day at the Manapparai All Women’s Police Station, leading to the immediate registration of a case and subsequent arrests. Five individuals were arrested.

Salem Govt School Teacher Booked Under POCSO Act

A 48-year-old government schoolteacher has been booked under the POCSO Act for allegedly misbehaving with a plus-one student in Salem district. The accused, Sivakumar of Sasthri Nagar, Erode, works as a physical education teacher at a government school in Omalur. On 2 February 2025, during a seminar at a polytechnic college, he allegedly acted inappropriately toward the student. The victim later reported the incident to the school headmaster, who conducted an internal inquiry before filing a complaint with the Omalur All Women’s Police Station. Following this, police registered a case and have launched a detailed investigation.

 

These incidents have sparked widespread outrage and concern among social activists, who are demanding that the government take immediate action to address the growing number of cases of teacher misconduct and sexual harassment in schools. 

Within just a week, these incidents highlight the deteriorating law and order situation in Dravidian Model Tamil Nadu under the DMK regime. The state is witnessing a pattern of unchecked violence against women and children. Lawlessness has reached the hilt in the state within just 3.5 years of DMK rule.

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