One-year RI for teacher who molested 13-year-old student

A special court here on Wednesday sentenced a school teacher to rigorous imprisonment for one year for molesting a 13-year-old girl student in 2017.

Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act court judge M H More convicted the accused Nandkumar Shinde under sections 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and relevant provisions the POCSO Act, 2012.

Shinde, who was working as a teacher at a school in suburban Ghatkopar, used to harass girl students in classrooms.

One of his victims had brought the matter to the notice of her mother, after which Shinde was arrested in November 2017, the prosecution said.

According to the prosecution, the victim had confided in her mother that the accused would deliberately try to come close to girls and touch them inappropriately.

Despite repeated complaints to the principal and warnings, Shinde continued his activities, the court was told.