Raj Shekhar, TNN | Nov 13, 2013, 07.20AM IST

NEW DELHI: An English teacher of a well-known private school in the Greater Kailash area of south Delhi has been arrested for sexually abusing Class V students on the school premises. So far, four girls from the class have complained against the 32-year-old accused, police said. 

TOI is withholding the name of the teacher to protect the identity of the school and its students. The arrest was confirmed by DCP, southeast, P Karunakaran. 

A Delhi Police source said the accused has been booked for molestation and wrongful confinement, and also under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. 

Police are questioning him to ascertain the number of his victims, a senior police officer said. 

The abuse came to light on Monday when a 10-year-old girl student refused to go to the school and began to cry. Questioned by her parents, she broke down and narrated her ordeal. The shocked parents approached the school administration after which the police were informed. 

Cops swung into action and began investigations. An NGO was roped in to counsel the child and take down her statement. She said her English teacher used to confine her and other girls in the staffroom and misbehave with them. The student said he touched them in an inappropriate manner. The teacher also touched the girls during class on pretext of asking them questions and punishing them, a source said. The teacher had threatened to fail them in the exams if they cried or told others about it, police said. 

Soon after, three more students surfaced with their parents citing similar complaints. A raid was conducted and the teacher arrested. During interrogation, the teacher is believed to have revealed horrible details about his behaviour. 

The cops were shocked as to how the teacher could misbehave with students inside them premises without anyone getting to know. They are probing if others were involved in the crime, the source added. 

The accused has been booked under sections 354, 342 and 506 of IPC and the relevant sections of POCSO Act and an FIR has been registered at Greater Kailash police station. They will have the statement of the victim students recorded before a magistrate under 164 CrPC and also present them before the Child Welfare Committee. A special team of senior cops has been formed to investigate the matter. 

Around 800 cases of child sexual abuse have been reported in the city in the past year. Many of these have taken place inside school premises and creches. Cops have been directed to take immediate action in such complaints but the conviction rate still remains as low as 14 convictions in the 42 cases. 

There is 95% pendency in cases involving minors. A recent case of abuse was reported from a creche in central Delhi and two in southwest Delhi. 

Parents have asked for better security and surveillance in these cases, but other schools have evidently not learnt their lessons, said an officer. 

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