Teacher held for sexual harassment of 14-year-old student in Thane district

Teacher allegedly touched the girl inappropriately while she was writing her exams, in dance classes and during the distribution of the costume for an event, besides passing lewd comments, said the official citing the FIR.

Thane: A teacher from a private English medium school in Maharashtra’s Thane district has been arrested for allegedly sexually harassing a 14-year-old female student, police said on Friday.

Accused Naveen Ramchandra Nair (42), who teaches in a school in the Badlapur area, had allegedly been harassing the teenager since October last year, said an official.

Nair allegedly touched the girl inappropriately while she was writing her exams, in dance classes and during the distribution of the costume for an event, besides passing lewd comments, said the official citing the FIR.

The minor initially put up with the harassment but when Nair did not stop, she shared her ordeal with her mother, who approached the police on Thursday. Nair was then arrested.

The teacher has been booked for sexual harassment and other charges under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

District Child Welfare Officer Ramkrishna Reddy said the authorities ensured that swift action was taken against the teacher.