Outcry over girl's harassment turns to anger

Local outrage here over the sexual harrasment of a class VI girl, boiled over into rage at the police, after an officer allegedly abused and beat up a pair of agitators near the Santhepet government high school.

The residents held a protest in front of the Pension Mohalla police station on Monday, against the police inspector allegedly behind the attack.

Sequence of events

The events took place after Rajappa, the teacher in question, had harassed the girl on Thursday. After the girl’s parents eventually discovered what had happened, hundreds of residents assembled in front of the school on Monday to hold a protest.

Mohan Kumar, the sub-inspector, who arrived at the location, is said to have abused two protestors, before  hitting them with a lathi.

Outraged, the agitators left the school and took up position  outside the police station in protest against the officer’s actions.

The war of words that followed led to tension near the station. The residents demanded that Kumar be reprimanded. Senior police officers and legislator H S Prakash rushed to the spot and pacified the protestors.

Rajappa is absconding and has been suspended from service, said Deputy Director of Public Instruction Basavaraj.