Karnataka: Viral video shows headmaster hugging girl in school office; POCSO case lodged

A video of the incident spread like wildfire in cyberspace, sparking off a probe that led to the registration of a case against the headmaster and his dismissal from service.

The accused has been identified as Anil Kumar. In the viral video, he could be seen hugging a girl in the school office. Taking the matter seriously, the education department carried out a probe under block education officer (BEO) Chandrakanth M. On the basis of the viral clip and statements of other teachers of the school and SDMC members, the BEO filed a complaint against the headmaster. Furthermore, the headmaster was dismissed from service by the school management, according to a report by The Times of India.

The girl seen in the video is not a student of the school. Her identity and the incident’s occurrence date are not known yet, police stated. She, however, is a former student of the institution, the TOI report stated citing sources. She went to the office after other students left, the report added.

On the basis of the complaint lodged by the BEO, a case has been registered against Kumar. A probe into the case is on. The police stated that more details cannot be divulged as the case has been lodged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

This comes months after an 11-year-old Class 6 student was allegedly molested by the headmaster of her school in Rajasthan’s Jaipur. Following a complaint, the headmaster was booked under relevant provisions.

As per reports, the alleged crime occurred on November 20 last year. The headmaster allegedly asked the minor girl to clean the floor of a classroom. He allegedly touched her inappropriately while she was sweeping the classroom floor using a broom. The minor later narrated her harrowing ordeal to her mother about the incident, following which the police were alerted and a case was lodged.