Child rights panel files FIR against molester teacher

SHILLONG: The chairperson of the State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR), Meena Kharkongor, lodged an FIR against the teacher of Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya School in Nongstoin for alleged sexual harassment of several students.
The move comes after delay in filing a complaint against the accused for more than a week.
Kharkongor visited Nongstoin on Friday and lodged the complaint with the police there seeking action against the accused who is absconding.
There was criticism over the delay in filing FIR against the teacher as the school was in a hurry to terminate the teacher.
The accused, Biswajit Jha of Uttar Pradesh, who was appointed as PGT Physics teacher this year on contract, was terminated from service on April 10 over the alleged sexual harassment of over 12 students. The matter came to light in March after the students complained to the district magistrate.
Though the magistrate ordered inquiry into the matter resulting in the regional office of the school in Shillong issuing the termination order, no FIR was filed either by the district administration or the police.
Instead, the inquiry team had recommended that Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti Shillong should lodge an FIR against the teacher under the POCSO Act.