Mangaluru: Teacher sentenced to 5 years for sexual harassment of minor student
Mangaluru: The Additional District and Sessions Court (POCSO FTC-1) has sentenced a teacher to five years in prison and imposed a fine of ₹10,000 for sexually harassing a minor girl student.
The convicted individual, Guruvappa Mogera, a 49-year-old resident of Kallamundkur in the Hathyadka Arasinamakki area, was accused of sexual misconduct towards the student. It was reported that the teacher, while in his profession, would call students to a separate room in the school under the pretext of discussing doubts related to their lessons. He allegedly called individual students into the room and subjected them to sexual harassment, leading to complaints being filed with the school principal.
On March 12, 2024, one student reported that the teacher had harassed her twice. Following this, a case was registered at the Women’s Police Station. Four other students also came forward with similar complaints.
In the proceedings of the case, Judge D. Vinay of the District and Sessions Court (POCSO FTC-1) examined the evidence and sentenced the teacher under IPC Section 354 (sexual harassment) to one year of simple imprisonment and a fine of ₹2,000; if the fine is not paid, an additional three months of imprisonment will be imposed. Under POCSO Section 10, he received a five-year sentence and a fine of ₹5,000, with a one-year imprisonment for non-payment. Additionally, under POCSO Section 12, he was sentenced to three years and a fine of ₹3,000, with a one-year imprisonment for non-payment.
The court also ordered that ₹1 lakh be paid as compensation to the victim by the Legal Services Authority.
In connection with the case, Women's Police Station Sub-Inspector Shivrudramma S. submitted the charge sheet. Special Public Prosecutor Sahanadevi Boluru argued on behalf of the student.
Following the Supreme Court's directive to treat POCSO cases with seriousness and to expedite the hearings in court, a verdict has been delivered in this case in just seven months.
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2 detained after comment over wedding procession to Dalit house sparks clash in UP's Shahjahanpur
Shahjahanpur (UP) (PTI): Two persons have been detained after a clash broke out allegedly over remarks targeting a Dalit family's wedding procession in Uttar Pradesh's Shahjahanpur district, police said on Saturday.
The incident occurred in Lai Kheda village under Tilhar police station area, where a wedding procession from Bareilly had arrived at a Dalit household on April 20.
According to SP Saurabh Dixit, when the procession was near the house of Rajpal Yadav, he allegedly made a remark saying "Now, Dalits will also take out wedding processions riding a buggy", leading to an argument. Yadav's side allegedly turned aggressive, escalating the conflict further.
Police said a scuffle ensued between the two sides. Upon receiving information, police personnel reached the spot and ensured that the procession was conducted peacefully after the incident.
An FIR was registered on Friday against Rajpal Yadav, Sumit, Amit, Surendra, Avdhesh Yadav and five unidentified persons based on a complaint. Rajpal Yadav and his son Sumit have been taken into custody and are being questioned, Dixit said.
The case has been registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023 and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, police said.
Dixit said preliminary findings suggest that Yadav, too, was hosting a function and processions from both sides had arrived around the same time. A dispute may have initially arisen due to a narrow passage and attempts to move the processions quickly.
Police have registered the case under relevant sections of the BNS and initiated further probe, officials said.
