Bengaluru, Feb 18 (DHNS): A physical education teacher of a private school in Jalahalli in the City was suspended from service after he was accused of sexually assaulting a girl student for over nine months at his house.

The police said, at every opportunity, Lakshmikanth used to take the 16-year-old girl to his house on some pretext and sexually abuse her. He had even threatened her not to reveal this to anyone. The sexual abuse went on from February to November 2015. The frequent assaults continued until the victim informed her classmates recently. Her classmates in turn informed their parents and also narrated the ordeal of the victim before the school management, said the police.

The school management viewed the matter seriously and suspended Lakshmikanth from service on February 10, 2016. On Tuesday evening, the school management decided that he should be handed over to the police and they lodged a complaint at the Jalahalli police station, the police stated.

Lakshmikanth, a native of Shivamogga, resided in Jalahalli along with his wife and two children. The family was missing when the police visited the house. T R Suresh, DCP (North) said: “The school management should have lodged a police complaint before initiating disciplinary action but it did the opposite. We are gathering details about Lakshmikanth and his family and he will be arrested at the earliest.”

The Jalahalli police have registered a case against Lakshmikanth under the provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The victim, in her statement to the police, said the teacher used to take her to his house and sexually abuse her when his family members were away. When asked why she did not tell her parents or teachers about it, she said Lakshmikanth had threatened her of dire consequences, said a senior police officer.