Balasore: A Pocso court on Tuesday remanded two teachers of a Balasore school to judicial custody for the alleged sexual harassment of a Class IX girl student. The teachers were arrested on Monday for repeated sexual and mental harassment of the 15-year-old girl during school hours for the past three months.Additional SP of investigation unit on crimes against women (IUCAW), Niranjan Behera, said, “They have been remanded to judicial custody after their bail plea was denied.” A complaint was also submitted to the district collector and district education officer (DEO) against the school headmaster for failing to act against the accused teachers despite being informed of the incident.“The CCTV digital video recorder has been seized for forensic analysis. Statements of students will be recorded. The case has now been handed over to DSP, IAHTU (integrated anti-human trafficking unit), for further investigation,” Behera added.DEO Basanta Kumar Nayak said a three-member team led by additional DEO Purnima Das visited the school on Monday to look into the allegations. “I personally visited the school on Tuesday to assess its functioning. The school is operating normally, although the survivor was absent. A compiled report of the team’s findings and my visit will be submitted to the district collector for further action,” Nayak said.The Class IX student had accused her maths and arts teachers of repeated sexual and mental harassment. Following a complaint lodged by her mother, police arrested both teachers on Monday. The headmaster, who was detained for allegedly suppressing the matter, was later released.
