Chennai, February 19 – A 29-year-old teacher, employed at a private school in Palayamkottai, Tamil Nadu, has been arrested on charges of sexually harassing minor female students.
The accused, identified as Jobin Solomon, had been working at the institution for the past three years.
He was responsible for teaching mathematics to students in classes 9, 10, and 11.
The case came to light after complaints emerged regarding his alleged inappropriate behavior towards female students, both inside and outside the classroom.
According to police sources, several students reported that the teacher behaved inappropriately during classroom sessions.
The complaints indicated that his conduct made students uncomfortable over a prolonged period.
It was further alleged that he had accessed the phone numbers of the female students through an official WhatsApp group created for school-related communication.
Investigators said that the accused allegedly used the contact details to send inappropriate messages to the students, particularly during late-night hours.
The nature of the messages reportedly raised serious concerns among parents and school authorities once the issue came to their attention.
Following preliminary internal verification, the school management lodged a formal complaint at the All Women Police Station in Palayamkottai.
Acting on the complaint, the police initiated an investigation and recorded statements from students and relevant witnesses.
Police officials stated that the investigation revealed that the alleged harassment had been ongoing for more than three months.
Based on the findings, a case was registered against Solomon under relevant sections of the POCSO Act, which deals with sexual offenses against minors.
He was subsequently arrested and produced before a judicial magistrate.
The court remanded him to judicial custody pending further investigation.
Police officials reiterated that offenses under the POCSO Act are treated with utmost seriousness and urged parents and students to report any inappropriate behavior without fear.
Further investigation is underway to determine the full extent of the allegations and whether additional victims may be involved.