Punjab: School teacher booked under POCSO for 'touching' class 7 girl

Hoshiarpur: A government school teacher was booked under the POCSO Act here for allegedly touching a 12-year-old student of his inappropriately in the classroom, police on Wednesday said.

The English teacher allegedly called the girl during her lunch break in the school’s Art and Craft room, where he conducted classes instead of a regular classroom, police said.

The incident happened on October 19, when the teacher called the class 7 girl to the room, offered her a banana to eat, and made inappropriate comments, police said.

He then allegedly held her waist and pulled her towards him, they said.

The girl reported the incident to the math teacher and her parents, who lodged a complaint with police.

The teacher was booked under Sections 75 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and 10 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, police said.

Sub-Inspector Ramandeep Kaur said raids are underway to apprehend the teacher, who is absconding.