Yoga instructor held for molesting schoolgirls

Three students complained against ad hoc teacher

A 35-year-old yoga instructor was arrested on Monday for allegedly molesting three of his students in a private school in east Delhi’s New Ashok Nagar, exactly a year after the December 16 gang rape case. 

Pankaj Saxena was held after the victims’ parents filed a complaint with local police. Police said the incident occurred on Friday inside the school in Vasundhara Enclave. School authorities claimed that he was hired on an ad hoc basis.

“Pankaj is accused of groping girl students of the school while teaching yoga,” said a police officer.

On Friday, one of the victims had complained to her mother of misbehaviour during yoga classes. She further revealed that Pankaj also used to misbehave with two of her friends. The victim’s parents then complained to the school authorities. The other two girls were also identified after which police were informed. “The girls told their parents that Pankaj used to touch them inappropriately while teaching yoga,” the officer added.

A case was filed on the basis of the complaint under section 354 (outraging the modesty) of the Indian Penal Code with New Ashok Nagar police station. Pankaj has also been booked under section 10 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

He was arrested when he went to the school on Monday. “Pankaj was produced before a court and sent to judicial custody,” the officer said.

Number of molestation cases have increased by 400 per cent as compared to figures of last year. Till November 3, 200 cases of molestation were registered. In 2012, police had registered only 727 molestation cases. Rape incidents have also doubled with 1,450 cases compared to 706 cases registered in 2012. 

In one of the incidents involving a schoolgirl, a seven-year-old was sexually assaulted in a government-run school in outer Delhi’s Mangolpuri in March. The incident took place when she was having lunch, but she failed to recognise the attacker.