A large group of people staged a road blockade near Thavalakuppam on the Puducherry-Cuddalore road on Friday evening, February 14, demanding strict action against a private school teacher accused of sexually assaulting a six-and-a-half-year-old girl studying in Class II.

According to police, the child's parents noticed her reluctance to go to school for the past few days and questioned her. She then revealed that Manikandan, a chemistry teacher at her school, had sexually assaulted her.

The parents took her to a private hospital, where doctors confirmed the abuse. Following this, the family, along with relatives and villagers, gathered and surrounded the school, stated a report by The New Indian Express.

Upon receiving information, the police arrived at the scene and attempted to arrest the teacher. However, villagers and relatives attacked him and vandalised the school office.

The police forcibly dispersed the crowd and took the teacher into custody and an investigation is underway.

More than a hundred villagers and the child’s relatives blocked the Puducherry-Cuddalore road at the Thavalakuppam junction from Friday evening, February 14, condemning the police and demanding strict action against the teacher. The protest, which lasted for over four hours, disrupted traffic movement.

Puducherry Assembly Speaker R Selvam, Collector A Kulothungan, and senior police officials held discussions with the protesters.

Traffic was diverted through alternative routes, including the Villupuram-Nagapattinam Bypass Road, according to the report by The New Indian Express.