The Coimbatore city police on Sunday arrested the principal of a private school after a 17-year-old girl ended her life on Thursday alleging sexual assault by one of her teachers.
Principal Meera Jackson, alias Mini Jackson was arrested for failure to report the assault on the Class XII student to the police, said T. Jayachandran, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order).
Police sources said she was arrested under Section 21 (2) (punishment for failure to report or record a case) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The teacher, Mithun Chakravarthy, 31, was held on Friday under Section 306 (abetment of suicide) of the Indian Penal Code, Section 9 (l) (whoever commits sexual assault on the child more than once or repeatedly), read with 10 (punishment for aggravated sexual assault), of the POCSO Act.
Mr. Jayachandran, who questioned Meera Jackson, along with DCP (Crime) E.S. Uma, for several hours since the morning, said the investigation would cover whether the girl was sexually assaulted by anyone else and whether there were other reasons for her death by suicide. He added that the police were also investigating a note which is said to have been left by the girl.
The note, thought to have been written by the girl, read that a teacher (who was arrested), the father of a girl and the grandfather of another girl should not be spared.
Ministers visit parents
School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi and Electricity Minister V. Senthil Balaji visited the parents of the girl in the morning. Mr. Poyyamozhi said the police acted swiftly and secured the principal late on Saturday night. The teacher, accused of sexually assaulting the girl, was arrested within 24 hours.
The family accepted the body of the girl from the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital after the Ministers informed them that the principal was in police custody. The body was cremated in the afternoon.
Former Minister S.P. Velumani visited the parents of the girl, along with Coimbatore North MLA Amman K. Arjunan, on Sunday. Mr. Velumani wanted the government to give ₹1 crore in compensation to the family.
( Those in distress or having suicidal tendencies could seek help and counselling by dialling ‘ Sneha’ 24X7 helpline at 044-24640050. )
