In a disturbing development from Karimnagar, Telangana, a 30-year-old office subordinate at a government school in Gangadhara mandal was arrested on Tuesday, October 28. The arrest came just one day after serious allegations surfaced regarding the sexual harassment and assault of four young girl students from the institution.
Alarming details of the case have emerged following the apprehension of the accused, identified as Md. Yakoob Pasha. He is accused of sexually abusing the minor girls within the school premises over the past few months.
Compounding the gravity of the situation, the school’s Headmistress is alleged to have instructed staff members to keep the incidents quiet. This forced the traumatized minor victims to suffer in silence, according to sources close to the investigation.
Her severe dereliction of duty in safeguarding student welfare and ensuring their security led to a significant breach of child safety protocols. Consequently, district authorities promptly suspended her from her position.
The accused reportedly resorted to blackmail, allegedly morphing photographs of the girl students taken during a school annual day function. He then used these manipulated images to coerce and sexually abuse them, threatening the victims to remain silent about his heinous acts.
The revelation of this incident has ignited widespread public outrage, with parents of the affected students and political leaders demanding swift and decisive action against the perpetrator. It has also brought to light critical deficiencies in the oversight and administrative mechanisms governing government schools.
During a media briefing in Karimnagar on Tuesday, Karimnagar Police Commissioner Gaush Alam confirmed that school office subordinate Yakoob Pasha was found to be involved in the sexual assault and harassment of four minor girls.
Pasha has been arrested under the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, along with relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the IT Act.
Commissioner Alam further stated that the school’s Headmistress, despite being aware of the incidents, failed to notify higher authorities or the police. He emphasized that the failure to report sexual harassment and assault of children constitutes a punishable offense under Section 21 of the POCSO Act.
A thorough investigation is currently underway to ascertain the criminal culpability of all individuals involved and to ensure that the accused receives the most stringent punishment permissible by law.