HT Digital
GUWAHAT, APR 10: A madrasa teacher from Kerala’s Kannur district has been sentenced to a total of 187 years in prison for sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl during the COVID-19 pandemic. The verdict was delivered by the Taliparamba POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) court on Tuesday, according to reports from news agency ANI.
The convicted teacher, Muhammed Rafi from Alakode, was found guilty of multiple offences under the POCSO Act and has also been directed to pay a fine of ₹9,00,000. Public Prosecutor Advocate Sherimol Jose stated that the court took into account Rafi’s previous involvement in a similar case under the same act while deciding the punishment.
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The case has highlighted the grave dangers children can face, even in trusted environments such as educational and religious institutions, especially during the vulnerabilities of the pandemic period when schools and madrasas were closed.
In a separate incident, a special needs teacher in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, allegedly assaulted a 10-year-old autistic boy at a private school in Sector 55. The incident surfaced after a video of the alleged abuse was accidentally shared in a WhatsApp group used by school staff and parents.
The boy’s father said he discovered the abuse through the video, which showed the special educator, Anil Kumar, misbehaving with his son. “My son is a student of Class 1 in Green Ribbon International School. He is a specially-abled boy with autism and needs special care and attention,” the father told PTI.
Following the revelation, the child’s family filed a complaint at Sector 58 police station. Police confirmed that an FIR has been registered against Anil Kumar, the school principal, vice-principal, and other staff members. The charges fall under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, and the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act.
The accused teacher has been arrested, and the school has been shut down in response to the incident. The police are continuing their investigation, and legal action is underway against all those found responsible.
