Goa teacher arrested for molesting 5 girl students

A Goa schoolteacher has been arrested allegedly for molesting five minor schoolgirls in the school premises, Superintendent of Police (South Goa) Arvind Gawas said on Thursday.

The accused Manoj Phadte was arrested after the school's internal committee that probed charges of sexual harassment, found merit in the allegations made by the five girl students.

"A First Information Report was filed after the committee's findings indicated merit in the accusations made by the girl students. Phadte has been arrested," Gawas said.

Phadte has been booked under section 354 of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offence Act.

Police sources also said that the teacher had been molesting the students for several weeks, before one of the girls complained to her parents, who took up the matter with the authorities of the government school located in Kundaim village in South Goa district.