A Pune government school teacher, accused of molesting atleast 12 minor girls, has been sent to police custody for three days tillSaturday, an official said on Friday.
Vikram Shankar Potdar, 42, has been booked under varioussections of the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSCO) Act andthe Indian Penal Code, said investigating officer Chitra Choudhary.
“Following a complaint and an internal probe, the accusedwas arrested on charges of molesting 12 girls for around six months at theZilla Parishad Girls School No.2 in Lohegaon,” Choudhary told IANS.
The molestation incidents, mostly during lunch break,continued for so long as Potdar allegedly threatened the victims, all in ClassVI, aged around 12.
According to the police, the girls complained that he usedto “touch them inappropriately” and warned them against informinganyone.
However, a few months ago, one of the victims gatheredcourage and confided her plight to the Education Officer of Haveli, Nilima M.Mehetre.
Taking serious note, a committee was formed to probe thematter which found credence to the charges against Potdar and the policecomplaint was registered on Wednesday.