Pune Teacher Arrested for Stalking and Sexual Harassment of Student

Pune:A 35-year-old teacher from a school in Pune has been arrested on charges of stalking and sexually harassing a 14-year-old student. The arrest follows a complaint lodged by the girl's mother on Monday after the student revealed her distress to her parents.

According to police officials, the student, a Class 9 pupil, came home visibly upset and crying on Monday. After confiding in her parents, she reported that the teacher had been harassing her for the past month. Her mother subsequently filed an FIR at a local police station, leading to the teacher's arrest.

The FIR alleges that the teacher had repeatedly asked the girl to converse with him and sought her home address. Despite her rejection of his advances, the teacher continued his inappropriate behavior. On one occasion, he allegedly offered to drop her home, further compounding his misconduct.

The police have charged the teacher under Section 78 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for stalking and Section 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) for sexual harassment. The investigation is ongoing to uncover more details about the case.

This incident has been reported just a day after a separate case where a 67-year-old man was allegedly involved in the rape of a 10-year-old girl in a nearby area, highlighting ongoing concerns about child safety in the region.

Authorities are urging anyone who has experienced similar abuse to come forward and report such incidents to ensure the protection of students and justice for victims.