In a deeply troubling case, a school teacher at a government-aided school near Kulithalai in Karur district has been arrested under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act after five students accused him of sexual harassment.

The accused, identified as Shivakumar, worked as an intermediate-level teacher at the institution. According to reports, the victims alerted the authorities by contacting the Child Helpline (1098) to report the inappropriate behavior.

Following the complaint, Child Welfare Committee (CWC) officials visited the school and conducted a detailed inquiry, during which the students reportedly confirmed the allegations. Based on their statements, and with confirmation from the school head, a formal complaint was filed.

Acting on the complaint, local police swiftly arrested Shivakumar under relevant sections of the POCSO Act. Further investigation is underway.

(With Inputs From Polimer News)

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Thiruverumbur police has taken a 52-year-old professor from a private college into custody on 17 September 2025 for allegedly sexually harassing a 17-year-old student.

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A government school teacher in Tirunelveli district has been suspended after several female students lodged a sexual harassment complaint with the District Collector.

The accused, Guru Vinayagam, a 52-year-old English teacher at Tharuvai Government High School, located near Munneerpallam, was reportedly accused of using inappropriate language and engaging in sexually inappropriate behavior towards girl students.

Following the complaint, District Principal Education Officer Sivakumar conducted an inquiry into the matter. Based on the findings, he issued an order placing Guru Vinayagam under suspension pending further action.

Responding to the allegations, Guru Vinayagam claimed the complaint was motivated by retaliation. He stated, “This accusation was made out of revenge because I questioned the headmistress regarding the collection of money from girl students.”

Further investigation into the matter is expected as authorities review the case.

(With Inputs From Dinamalar)

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The post Tirunelveli Govt Teacher Suspended Over Sexual Harassment Complaint; He Alleges Vendetta By Female HM For Exposing Her Fund Collection Irregularities appeared first on The Commune.

[Image Credit: One India Tamil]

Tirunelveli karate and rifle shooting trainer Abdul Waqab has been arrested on charges of sexually exploiting woman.

Abdul Waqab (37), a resident of Narasinganallur’s  Ponvizha Nagar near Suththamalli in Tirunelveli district, holds a diploma in karate and has been running Karate classes in Kodeeswaran Nagar. In addition, he also conducted shooting practice sessions at Palayamkottai’s KTC Nagar. His training centers attracted a large number of students, particularly schoolchildren from the surrounding localities.

Among his students was a 13-year-old girl from Suththamalli, who attended karate lessons under his supervision. The child’s mother regularly accompanied her to the center. During this time, Waqab allegedly obtained the girl’s mobile number with ill intentions. He later gained her trust, manipulated her, and entered into an illicit relationship with her. Reports suggest that this continued for nearly four years.

When the girl’s father eventually discovered the situation, he confronted his wife, which led to distance herself from Waqab. Angered by this, he allegedly visited the women’s house on the day of the incident, demanding to know why she had stopped answering his calls. He is said to have assaulted and threatened her, insisting that she accompany him. The women’s screams drew the attention of neighbors, forcing Waqab to flee the spot.

The victim lodged a complaint at the Suththamalli police station. During the inquiry, investigators uncovered disturbing details, Waqab had a history of harassing women, including the mothers of other students, and frequently tried to befriend many women by securing their phone numbers. Police sources revealed that he manipulated and exploited several women, with at least eight confirmed victims. Some were reportedly devastated to the extent of losing their lives, while many others kept silent out of fear of social stigma.

It also came to light that one woman, after realizing his misconduct, confronted Waqab at his residence, leading to further issues. Acting on the complaint, the Suththamalli police booked him under multiple charges, including provisions of the Protection of Women from Violence Act, and arrested him late last night. Authorities have assured that more stringent action will follow if additional victims come forward.

(With inputs from Daily Thanthi)

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Tamil Nadu BJP chief Nainar Nagendran has strongly criticized the DMK-led government, accusing it of endangering the safety of school children and fostering an environment where repeated offenders go unchecked.

Posting on his official X account, Nagendran condemned the government’s handling of a disturbing incident at a government primary school in Melsanankuppam, Tirupattur. He highlighted that the headmaster, Bharath Ambedkar, was allegedly under the influence of alcohol when he sexually harassed a fifth-grade girl. He further pointed out that this was not the first time the accused has been involved in such misconduct and that Ambedkar had previously been transferred from four different schools over similar allegations, yet returned to a position of responsibility and indulged in such an act within just 15 days.

Nagendran questioned how the headmaster could repeatedly engage in such behavior and suggested that the DMK’s governance model has contributed to a decline in accountability within the education system. He implied that the government’s focus on image-building rather than student welfare has allowed such individuals to act with impunity.

He also criticized the state education department’s response, describing it as superficial.

“Is it the golden age of the School Education Department to arrest teachers as a mere formality when such crimes come to light, announce that, ‘the educational certificates of teachers involved in sexual offenses will be canceled,’ and then, once the news fades, transfer the offending teacher to another educational institution, thereby sacrificing the safety of students?” he asked, referring to actions like suspending and transferring accused teachers without ensuring justice or student safety.

In a pointed remark directed at Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, Nagendran urged him to prioritize the safety of government school students, for all the ‘Appa’ branding he’s done for himself.

The comments follow the arrest of 56-year-old headmaster Bharath Ambedkar, who was suspended after reportedly arriving at school intoxicated and molesting a fifth-standard student. Local villagers who witnessed the act recorded video evidence and reported it to the district education authorities. Ambedkar had only recently returned to duty after a previous suspension over similar charges was revoked.

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With just less than two weeks left for a fresh Assembly session in Kerala, the Crime Branch Police has filed an FIR against Youth Congress former state president and Palakkad MLA Rahul Mamkootathil in connection with multiple allegations of sexual harassment, stalking, and intimidation of women. The FIR was submitted before the Thiruvananthapuram Judicial First Class Magistrate Court.

According to the FIR, Rahul allegedly harassed women on social media, sent threatening messages, and even pressured one woman to undergo an abortion. He has been booked under BNS Section 78(2), Section 351 of the Police Act, and Section 120. The charges were filed based on complaints received by the State Police Chief. The case stems from complaints filed by five individuals, all of whom are third parties not directly connected to the alleged victims. While the women at the centre of the allegations have not yet lodged formal complaints, the Crime Branch has said their statements will be recorded if evidence is produced.

The agency has already taken the deposition of Advocate Shino, one of the complainants, and indicated that it will also question journalists who posted about the controversy on Facebook. Investigators have reportedly traced one of the alleged abortion incidents to a hospital in Bengaluru, from where information has already been collected.

The Crime Branch is preparing to record the statement of the woman said to have undergone the procedure. There are also indications that a second woman may have had an abortion, allegedly with assistance from a relative of the first. These claims, however, remain under verification. The FIR notes that the police took up the case suo motu, citing repeated harassment of women by Rahul on digital platforms. It also records allegations that he threatened women over the phone and sent coercive messages related to abortion.

With the case now before the court, the Crime Branch maintains that further action will depend on direct testimonies and corroborative evidence from the women allegedly involved. With Mamkootathil now suspended from the Congress party, all eyes are on how the party will re-engage with the issue especially amid growing concerns that the state government is targeting him for political gain. This comes at a time when the Congress-led opposition is gearing up to challenge the Vijayan government over its alleged mismanagement.

-IANS

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Over a decade after being arrested in multiple sexual harassment cases filed by students, Professor Anand Viswanath, a retired academic who once headed the Economics Department at Government College, Munnar, has been acquitted of all charges. The Thodupuzha Additional Sessions Court, in its ruling, observed that he was falsely implicated following an incident in which he caught students committing malpractice during an examination.

Viswanath (61), who also served as the additional chief superintendent of examinations at the college, had been chargesheeted in four separate cases in which women students alleged he sexually harassed them during the M.A. Economics second semester examinations held between August and September 2014.

In 2021, the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court at Devikulam sentenced him to three years’ imprisonment in two cases, while acquitting him in the other two. He was subsequently suspended from service. Challenging the conviction, he approached the Thodupuzha Sessions Court, which has now overturned the verdicts and acquitted him in all cases.

Court’s Observations

Judge Laijumol Sherif, who delivered the verdict, said the testimonies of the four students were riddled with contradictions, omissions, and embellishments. These inconsistencies were not corroborated by evidence from independent witnesses. The court held that while the testimonies were insufficient to prove the allegations, they were strong enough to demonstrate that the professor had been falsely implicated.

The court also noted that “no action was taken on the malpractice of the four students, and instead there occurred a conspiracy at the party office of the CPI(M) to rope in the professor.”

The Malpractice Incident

According to court records, Viswanath had caught five students, said to be activists of the CPI(M)’s student wing, the SFI, copying during the postgraduate examination in 2014. He reported the matter to the invigilator and handed over the seized manuscripts. However, his complaint was allegedly suppressed following political intervention. One month later, the same students lodged complaints with the Education Minister and the State Women’s Commission, accusing him of sexual harassment.

This led to the registration of four separate FIRs, resulting in four charge sheets and four trials, with the same group of students alternating between roles as victims and witnesses in different cases.

Defence Arguments

Advocate S. Ashokan, appearing for Viswanath, pointed out that the prosecution failed to produce any independent witnesses and did not even examine the invigilator present during the exams. “In all the cases, the same girls were the witnesses. If one of the girls was listed as a victim in a case, the others were made witnesses. In the other cases, their roles were interchanged. The court has rightly found that these cases were politically motivated,” he said.

The Professor’s Ordeal

For Viswanath, the acquittal comes after more than a decade of personal and professional turmoil. “For the last 11 years, I had to face humiliation. I was forced to send my daughter and son for higher secondary education in Tamil Nadu due to these cases. After the FIRs were registered, I went into hiding for a month fearing arrest, and returned home only after getting anticipatory bail,” he said.

Following his suspension, he was transferred first to Malappuram and later to Chittoor in Palakkad. He retired from service in 2021 but continues to receive only 75% of his pension due to the departmental inquiry initiated against him in connection with the cases.

Viswanath also filed a complaint against the college principal, alleging that he had conspired to falsely implicate him and suspend him from service. While an FIR was registered, the police later closed the matter. He has now challenged the closure report in court.

(With inputs from The New Indian Express)

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The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that an Imam allegedly sexually abused a 7-year-old boy at a mosque in the Jhabreda area of Uttarakhand’s Roorkee last week.

According to the Press report, the boy had gone to the mosque for religious studies when the perpetrator allegedly took him to his room by force and committed the heinous act. The Imam also threatened the child with dire consequences if he disclosed the incident to anyone. The report further mentioned that the victim narrated the incident to his family members after returning home, following which the matter came to light. Taking note of the news item, the apex human rights body observed that the contents, if true, raise serious concerns of human rights violations.

The NHRC has issued notices to the Roorkee District Magistrate and District Superintendent of Police, seeking a detailed report on the incident within two weeks. The Uttarakhand Police registered a criminal case against the accused under the relevant Sections of the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act and took him into custody. As per SP (Rural) S.C. Suyal, the perpetrator was produced before the local court, from where he was sent to judicial custody.

Established under the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, the NHRC, an autonomous statutory body, is an embodiment of India’s concern for the promotion and protection of human rights. Its primary role is to protect and promote human rights, defined as the rights relating to life, liberty, equality, and dignity of individuals guaranteed by the Constitution or embodied in the International Covenants and enforceable by courts in India. The apex human rights body has the power to take suo motu (on its own motion) action based on media reports, public knowledge or other sources, without receiving a formal complaint of human rights violations.

-IANS

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Tamil Nadu Police have arrested Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) executive for Sexual Harassment of Woman.

Abdul Hakeem, managing director of a company and state treasurer of the economic wing of Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK), has been arrested for allegedly sexually harassing a woman employed at a private fertilizer manufacturing firm in Ayankovilpattu near Villupuram.

Police investigations indicate that Abdul Hakeem sent inappropriate messages via WhatsApp and is accused of sexually harassing over ten women.

(With Inputs From Polimer News)

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In a disturbing incident from the Thatrahalli area of Krishnagiri district, two Scheduled Caste women have accused Nagaraj, a local DMK functionary, of caste-based abuse, sexual harassment, and coercion in exchange for land rights (patta). The women allege that Nagaraj exploited their vulnerable status being widowed or abandoned and threatened them with eviction if they failed to comply with his demands.

Tamil Selvi, a 30-year-old widow and mother of four (three daughters and one six-year-old son), and Muniyammal, a single mother of two, are among the women who have not received official land ownership (patta) despite residing in Thatrahalli for over 30 years. While others in nearby dwellings have been granted land rights, these women claim they were deliberately excluded.

According to their statements, Nagaraj had repeatedly summoned them over the past five years, demanding they clean toilets at his home. When they refused, he allegedly used caste slurs and threatened them with eviction. The women said they were told not to approach authorities regarding the patta, or they would be forced to vacate their homes.

Speaking to the media, the women expressed deep fear for their safety. Tamil Selvi said, “My husband’s name is Ramraj, he has passed away. We’ve been living here for about 30 years. There were no problems when we lived in a thatched hut. The Krishnagiri District Chairman, who is from the DMK party, started causing problems. He called me to work at his house, to clean his bathroom. I told him I couldn’t come because I have children to take care of and I can’t leave them. He then said, “You are a ****, low-caste woman. You won’t listen to me. I will see how you stay in this place. I will make sure you vacate this house. You won’t be allowed to stay here.” He started threatening me daily. At night, they throw stones at my house and break things. They bang on my door and cause many problems. Everyone in this town knows about the troubles we, with our four children, are facing.”

Muniyammal said tearfully, “He says, “When I call you, you have to come. Everyone else here comes when I call them, why don’t you?” It’s really hard to sleep here with children. At night, some unknown people who are drunk come and create a ruckus. They took my signature, saying a land title deed (patta) has come. They asked me to sign and I did. A week later, when I went and asked about the patta, because everyone else got it but we didn’t, they said my name wasn’t on the list. When I asked why they took my signature, they said, “Nagaraj said that you will not be given a patta.” (He threatens me saying), “I will throw any amount of money at you. Come to me, and I will build you a house. If you don’t come, I won’t let you stay on this land.” He has been threatening me like this for five or six years.”

They further alleged that Revenue Department officials, without prior notice, arrived late at night to carry out eviction-related actions, adding to their distress. The women have called for immediate intervention and strict action against Nagaraj for harassment, abuse of power, and caste-based discrimination.

(With Inputs From Malai Murasu)

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