Headmaster and teacher of Karnataka govt school suspended over sexual harassment case
Shivamogga: A 45-year-old teacher and the headmaster of a Government school in Karnataka's Shivamogga district have been suspended on charges of sexual harassment and dereliction of duty, respectively, officials said on Monday.
The teacher of the school at Soppinakeri village in Shikaripura taluk was accused of sexually harassing female students aged between nine and 12 for the past few months.
The headmaster did not take action against him despite the issue being brought to his attention, they said.
The matter came to the notice of the senior education department officials on December five following which a detailed probe into the allegations levelled against the teacher was taken up, officials said.
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Shivamogga Deputy Director of Public Instructions C R Parameshwarappa told PTI that the inquiry was ordered based on the complaints received from the parents of the students and School Development and Management Committee members.
The male teacher and the headmaster were suspended on Friday based on the preliminary report submitted by the block education officer of Shikaripura.
The charge against the headmaster, who was not involved in the harassment of students, is that he never took action against the accused teacher nor did he report the matter to any of the higher authorities despite being in the know of the matter, officials said.
''The headmaster attempted to suppress the matter which is why he was also suspended in connection with the incident. A detailed investigation is underway'', Parameshwarappa added.
According to officials, the School Development and Management Committee members also approached a senior officer at the Shikaripura rural police station following which they registered a case under the Protection of Children Against Sexual Offences Act against the accused teacher on December 9.
The matter has also been intimated to the Child Welfare Committee (CWC).
As part of police investigation, the statements of the girl students have been recorded and medical examination of the victims done.
Further action will be taken based on the report of the CWC, the officials added.
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Himanta resigns as Assam CM, paving way for formation of new govt
Guwahati (PTI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Wednesday resigned along with his cabinet colleagues, paving the way for formation of a new government led by the BJP, officials said.
The BJP-led NDA bagged 102 seats in the 126-member assembly. The assembly elections were held in a single phase on April 9, and counting of votes took place on May 4.
"Following the formal notification of the results of #AssamElections2026 and to enable the formation of the new government, Dr @himantabiswa tendered his resignation as Chief Minister along with that of the council of Ministers to Hon'ble Governor Shri @Laxmanacharya54 today at Lok Bhawan," the Chief Minister's Office said in a post on X.
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The Governor has accepted the resignation, and requested Sarma to continue as the caretaker CM till the new government assumes office, it said.
Later, speaking to reporters outside the Lok Bhawan, Sarma said the oath-taking ceremony is likely to take place after May 11.
“As it was a historic win, we have invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to grace the occasion," he said.
The new Assam chief minister will be selected at a meeting of the BJP legislature party in presence of central observers, Sarma said.
