Coimbatore school students protest against arrest of teacher, seek release

COIMBATORE: Hundreds of students of a Government Higher Secondary School in Coimbatore staged a road block protest on Thursday demanding the release of a physical education teacher booked under Pocso Act.

Two days ago, the Perur All Women’s Police Station (AWPS) arrested a 38-year-old physical education teacher of the school on charges of sexually harassing a class seven girl student from the school.

He was produced in court and remanded in judicial custody. Meanwhile, around 400 students including 100 girls gathered in front of the school blocking Siruvani Main Road. They demanded release of the arrested physical education teacher by claiming that he was booked on a false complaint. A team of police officials led by a DSP held talks with the students and assured to set him free, if the charges against him were proven wrong during inquiries. The students then withdrew their protest.