Absconding teacher of Kannur school arrested in POCSO case

Booked for sexually abusing a Class IV student

Police talking to Youth Congress workers protesting in front of the District Police Chief’s office in Kannur on Wednesday demanding the arrest of a teacher allegedly involved in the rape of a child near Panoor in the distric.

The police on Wednesday arrested a schoolteacher from Vilakkottur in the district on the charge of sexually abusing a minor student.

K. Padmarajan, alias Pappan, who is also a local Bharatiya Janata Party leader, has been absconding after a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act was filed against him on the charge of sexually abusing a Class IV student of a school at Palathayi.

ChildLine complaint

The police booked the teacher on a report of the ChildLine and a complaint filed by the child’s relatives on March 18.

He had been charged under Indian Penal Code Section 376 (F) (1) (repeated rape) and Section 5(F) read with (1)(3) and Section 6 of POCSO Act.

He was arrested from the house of a BJP worker at Vilakkottur in Thripangottur panchayat on Wednesday.

Soon after a case was registered against him, Chairman of the Kerala State Commission for Protection of Child Rights P. Suresh took a suo motu case and directed the District Collector, District Superintendent of Police, District Child Protection Officer, District Director of Education, and the State Police Chief to submit a report in the case immediately.

The police had initially said there were contradictions in the child’s statement which they needed to verify. The police, who were enforcing the lockdown to check the spread of COVID-19, came under criticism for the delay in arresting the accused.

CPI(M) demand

Meanwhile, Communist Party of India (Marxist) district secretary M.V. Jayarajan in a release here on Wednesday, highlighted a letter written to the Chief Minister and State Police Chief Loknath Behera demanding the arrest of the accused.

“The police should have arrested him soon after the child gave her statement before the magistrate and based on medical reports,” Mr. Jayarajan said.

However, there was a delay, he said adding that an inquiry should be conducted into lapse, if any, in the police investigation.

The police arrested Youth Congress workers who staged a protest before the District Police Chief office on Wednesday demanding the arrest of the teacher.