The Coimbatore District Police on Wednesday, August 21, arrested a teacher of an aided school near Sirumugai for sexually assaulting nine girl students.

The headmistress and three teachers have been booked for not reporting the incident to police despite the victims lodging a complaint. The suspect (54) was handling Classes VII and VIII.

Police said nine girl students complained to officials of the District Child Protection Unit (DCPU), when they conducted awareness sessions on child sexual abuse and child marriage in the school.

The sexual assault by the teacher happened between June and July 2024.

Based on their statement, the District Child Protection Officer lodged a complaint at Sirumugai police, demanding action against the teacher, headmistress and three female teachers who handled classes seven and eight.

As per the statement made by the students, they had complained about the sexual assault to the class teachers who informed the headmistress and she held an inquiry. However, none of them reported the incidents to police, DCPU or other authorities, stated The New Indian Express report.

Sirumugai police registered a case against the accused under several sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) Act on Tuesday, August 20. The teacher was arrested and remanded to judicial custody on Wednesday, August 21. Summons were served to the other teachers, police said.