Bengaluru school teacher arrested for molestation

A physical training teacher was arrested Wednesday for allegedly molesting a seven-year-old girl student here after a mob of about 200 parents and residents ransacked the private school and thrashed the man, police said.

"We have arrested the teacher Krishna of Venkateshwara School under section 376 of the Indian Penal Code and POCSO Act on a complaint by the girl's parents, accusing him of molesting their girl," Additional Commissioner of Police Alok Kumar told reporters.

When the protest by the mob for handing over the teacher to them turned violent, police resorted to caning the mob and lobbed teargas shells to disperse them.

"The situation has been brought under control by rushing five platoons of the Karnataka State Reserve Police Force and deploying about 200 policemen around the school to maintain law and order," he said.

A few policemen and a dozen people were injured as the mob pelted stones. Six vehicles were also damaged.

"When the school administration refused to hand over the teacher to the parents, policemen intervened and took him into custody. We will register a case and interrogate him in the jurisdictional police station at Byataryanapura," he said.

Commissioner of Police M.N. Reddi and ACP Kumar rushed to the school to take stock of the situation.

"We have also arrested some people for attacking policemen and vandalising public property. Appropriate action will be taken against them," ACP Kumar said.

The city has witnessed massive protests by the public since July over a series of sexual assaults on girl students in private schools, mostly by some employees, including physical instructors, attendants and a class teacher.