Headmaster gets 20 years for sexual assault

Naveen S Garewal
Tribune News Service
Hyderabad, August 29

A Government School headmaster in Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana has been sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment for sexually abusing five girl students. The 40-year-old accused, Dodda Sunil Kumar, was found guilty under sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and a fine of Rs 11,000 was also levied on him.

The sentencing was pronounced by the Additional District Judge Mohammad Abdul Rafi in a special fast-track court for POCSO cases. However, eight staffers of the school, who were co-accused and booked for not reporting the offense, were acquitted by the court as their involvement could not be proved.

The matter had been reported in December 2020 after one of the five girls, a seven-year-old class 2 student, fell ill and was taken to hospital for a check-up. Upon questioning, the girl informed her mother about the sexual assault by the headmaster. The mother approached the Laxmidevipally police, and a case was registered.

Once the case was investigated, it came to light that the headmaster had sexually abused four other girls. The abuse had begun in August 2020 during lockdown when Sunil took the girls one by one to his home under the pretext of teaching them. The headmaster also threatened the girls with a knife in case they mentioned the sexual abuse to anyone.

Additional District Judge examined 24 witnesses during the trial, and the case was concluded within nine months after Kumar was arrested.