School Girl Accuses Teacher of Harassment, CEO Rajouri Orders Suspension, Probe.Teacher booked under Section 74 BNS and POCSO Act

GNS ONLINE NEWS PORTAL

SHYAM SOOD 

RAJOURI SEPT 30:-Tension erupted at Government Higher Secondary School Kakora in the Manjakote education zone of Rajouri district on Tuesday after a Class 10 student accused a teacher of misconduct and sexual harassment.
Following the allegation, the girl’s family members, joined by a large number of villagers, stormed the school premises and confined the teachers and staff for nearly six hours, demanding immediate suspension of the accused and registration of a police case.
Taking swift cognizance of the matter, Chief Education Officer (CEO) Rajouri, Mohammad Hafiz Sheikh, suspended the teacher and ordered a departmental inquiry. He also dispatched a team of officials to the school to pacify the protesters and to ensure that the matter was handled fairly and sensitively.
Police, meanwhile, registered a case under Section 74 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS)- Assault or Use of Criminal Force to a Woman with Intent to Outrage Her Modesty -and Sections 7/8 of the POCSO Act, and launched a manhunt to trace the absconding teacher.
The protest was later called off around 5:30 PM after the suspension order and FIR were formally issued, and the staff members who had been held inside the school were released.
According to the CEO’s suspension order, the school principal had submitted a written report flagging serious allegations of misconduct by teacher Ajaz Ahmad, who also handled admissions. The order noted that the charges were of a “very serious nature, directly affecting the conduct, integrity, and reputation of a government employee.” To ensure a free and fair probe and to safeguard the interests of the institution and students, the teacher was attached to the office of the Zonal Education Officer (ZEO) Khawas, Kotranka subdivision, pending investigation.
The order also emphasized that this step was necessary to prevent any attempt to influence the inquiry or intimidate witnesses.
Sources said that after the girl’s strong reaction, the accused teacher allegedly left the school premises, reportedly attempting to reach the student’s home to “settle the matter” but was rebuffed. He has since gone into hiding and switched off his mobile phone.
The school principal has also constituted a separate internal inquiry to establish the facts of the case.
Confirming the incident, a senior police officer in Manjakote said, “Yes, a case under Section 74 BNS and Sections 7/8 of the POCSO Act has been registered. The accused is absconding, and efforts are underway to arrest him.”