Tamil Nadu: CSI-run school headmaster sexually harasses students and absconds, media and ruling party on mute

A case has been registered against the headmaster of a school run by Church of South India (CSI) – Tirunelveli for sexually harassing girl students. The accused is currently absconding.

Samaria St. John’s High School is located in Thissayanvilai in Tirunelveli District which is run by the CSI Christian Diocese and is a government-aided school. Christopher Jebakumar (51) is the school’s headmaster.

He had made Class 12 students come to school for special classes since September and had sent them pornographic text messages through WhatsApp.

 The parents of the students complained to the school administration. But the administration did not take any action against him. 

He even tried to negotiate with the parents of the affected children offering them lakhs of rupees in an attempt to silence them. The parents said they would protest against the school if no action was taken.

In the wake of complaints from students, Christopher Jebakumar was charged by the Thissayanvilai police. A case has been registered under the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act). He was suspended by the CSI management only yesterday. Since then, Christopher has been absconding. 

Netizens have been calling out hypocrisy of the reaction from a section of media and politicians who went bonkers when a sexual harassment incident came to light in Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan (PSBB) school.

(With inputs from Dinamalar)

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