Daijiworld Media Network - Puttur (SP)

Puttur, Sep 7: A girl student of Saralikatte government high school near Uppinangady, who had earlier filed a complaint against a teacher of sexual harassment during the study tour of the school under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, has now registered a complaint against a local taluk panchayat (TP) member.

The girl says in her complaint given to Uppinangady police that a taluk panchayat member, Manjunath Salian, accompanied by two unknown women, came to the school and pressurized her to withdraw the complaint she had lodged against a teacher of the school.

It may be recalled that the student in question had handed a complaint to Uppinangady police, stating that a government high school teacher, Harish Moolya, had inflicted sexual harassment on her during the previous year's study tour. A case under POCSO was registered in Uppinangady station on the basis of this complaint.

The girl said in the latest complaint, that a member of taluk panchayat, Manjunath Salian, who had appeared on behalf of the accused teacher, visited the school in which she is studying, on August 29 along with two women. He reportedly called her inside the kitchen of the hot lunch programme, where he is said to have asked her to withdraw the complaint she had lodged against the teacher. She says that Salian also threatened with sullying her image if she failed to heed to his advice.

Uppinangady police, who have registered the complaint, have begun investigation.