Girl attempts suicide after sexual assault by teacher in Karnal

Parveen Arora

Tribune News Service

Karnal, June 6

Depressed over an alleged sexual assault by a teacher of physical education in a private school in Nissing, a 20-year-old ex-student of the school tried to commit suicide last evening by jumping in a canal near Nissing.

Luckily, she was rescued by some of the passersby and was admitted to a hospital in Nissing.

Her health is said to be normal now. After gaining consciousness, she blamed the school principal of supporting the accused.

She has passed her higher secondary from the school this year. However, the police have registered a case against the accused, Manoj Kumar, and also arrested him.

The victim, a native of Nissing, said she was a Class 12 student of SD Model School, Shiv Mandir, Nissing, and was harassed sexually by teacher Manoj Kumar between January and March this year several times.

“I was even threatened of dire consequences, but I want action against the teacher,” she said.

“I have approached the principal, but she did not help me and asked me to stay silent to save the reputation of the school. I also shared my ordeal with my friends, but with the pressure of teacher and principal they are not coming forward for giving statement to police in my favour,” she alleged.

She alleged that the Nissing police did not cooperate with her and also misbehaved with her and her family members.

“I was forced to take this step due to police inaction. No FIR was registered against the principal,” she alleged.

When she jumped in the canal, some of the passersby noticed and rescued her.

However, DSP Gharaunda Virender Kumar refuted the allegations and said the girl has filed a complaint of sexual harassment by the physical education teacher and he has been arrested.

“Before recording her statement under 164 in the court, we got her statement recorded in front of child welfare committee (CWC). She is changing her statements. In her complaint she had only blamed the teacher, but later she made different statements,” said the DSP.

“We have registered a case against Manoj under section 354, 354-D and 506 in Nissing police station and he has been arrested by the police,” he added.

The investigation was underway and fresh allegations of the girl were being inquired, he maintained.

Despite several attempts, principal Kavita Choudhary could not be contacted. Roshan Lal, president of the school, also refused to comment on the issue.