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A K Haridas, a teacher in the government primary school at Puliyavu in the district, was held guilty on three counts in six cases against him by Nadapuram First Class Judicial Magistrate on Friday. The teacher was charged with sexually harassing Class IV girl students on the school premises.
Accepting the prosecution plea for stringent punishment taking into account his status and causing mental agony to the students and parents, the judge sentenced the teacher to six years’ imprisonment in the first case, five years each in second and third, six years each in the fourth and fifth and two years in the sixth case.
The court ordered that the total sentence of 16 years in the first three cases would have to be undergone consecutively and the remaining 14 years concurrently. He was convicted for offenses under IPC Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 377 (unnatural offenses), and 506 (1) (punishment for criminal intimidation).
The court also slapped a fine of Rs 20,000 and ordered him to pay Rs 4,000 each to five of the victims. The teacher had been suspended pending inquiry.