In an significant development, the Block Education Officer (BEO) K Kantharaju, Cluster Resource Person (CRP) HR Deepa and Educational Coordinator (ECO) Jayaram have been suspended for their negligence and inaction against the Government Higher Primary School headmaster Girish who had been accused of sexually abusing girl students in the school.
The action was initiated after Deputy Commissioner G Lakshmikantha Reddy, Superintendent of Police N Vishnuvardhana and Deputy Director of Public Instruction (DDPI) ST Javaregowda visited the school in the forest fringe village in HD Kote taluk and held discussions with the parents and relatives of the girl students who are victims of the sexual abuse and with the villagers who have locked the school demanding arrest of the accused headmaster Girish who had absconded after an First Information Report (FIR) under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act was lodged in the HD Kote police station.
According to villagers, the incidents of sexual abuse on children by the headmaster came to light in mid-February, but there was a delay in registering the complaint and initiating action from the BEO and CRP and other officers of the education department, stated a report by The New Indian Express.
The villagers also expressed suspicion that there was effort from the education department officers to cover up the case and protect the accused.
However, after the villagers and parents of the victims staged a protest by locking the school doors, the authorities lodged an FIR in the police station under POCSO Act.
As there was a significant delay in lodging complaint in the police station, the villagers accused the authorities of keeping silent on sexual abuse incidents in the school and helping the accused headmaster to escape. The student's parents and villagers came to know about the horrific incidents after one of the girl students was allegedly raped by the headmaster in his chamber by giving her a sleeping tablet stating that it was an albendazole tablet for deworming on January 30.
The victim's classmate who came to the headmaster's chamber found the girl lying on the floor naked and in a semiconscious state. The classmate later informed her parents and villagers of the incident.
During the visit, DC Lakshmikantha Reddy said that the government and district administration condemned the incidents and would initiate stringent action against the accused person.
"It is confirmed that the accused had sexually abused the students. We will take measures to prevent such incidents in future," he said.
DDPI Javaregowda told The New Indian Express that he had suspended CRP and ECO while the government has suspended BEO for their negligence and inaction in initiating action against the headmaster.
"There will be a departmental inquiry on the suspended officers and legal action will be initiated against the officers. The police are searching for the accused who is absconding," he said.
Meanwhile, SP Vishnuvardhana has formed four teams to search for the headmaster who is absconding. SP Vishnuvardhan said that the police teams are searching for the accused person even in neighbouring states.
