Kallakurichi Class 10 Girl Dies by Suicide, Teacher Arrested Under POCSO

A Class 10 student in Tamil Nadu’s Kallakurichi district has died after allegedly being sexually harassed by a teacher at her school, according to a report published by NDTV on Friday. The teacher, identified as Jagadesan, has been arrested under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Police are investigating both the allegations against him and the circumstances surrounding the student’s death.

The case was reported from the Kachirayapalayam area of Kallakurichi district. The student was studying in Class 10 at a government higher secondary school in Thengiyanatham.

NDTV reported that a senior police officer told the news organisation that the investigation had so far established that the teacher had allegedly touched the girl inappropriately. The officer described the alleged conduct as “bad touch.”

The teacher was arrested after the girl’s family approached police with allegations of sexual harassment.

The student had been undergoing treatment

A report published by Tamil daily Dinamalar on September 10 said the girl had become unwell at her home on September 7 and was taken to Salem Government Medical College Hospital for treatment.

According to the report, the girl’s parents told police that she had said the teacher had sexually harassed her at school and that the incident had led her to take the step.

The report said Jagadesan, 46, was a science teacher at the government higher secondary school near Kachirayapalayam and had transferred to the school from another institution around 10 days before the incident.

NDTV’s report on September 11 subsequently said the student had died by suicide at her home. Because the two reports were published at different stages of the incident, the precise sequence of the student’s medical treatment and death is not independently established by the sources reviewed for this report.

Teacher arrested under POCSO

Police have arrested Jagadesan under the POCSO Act, India’s law dealing with sexual offences against children.

The legislation applies to people below 18 and covers offences including sexual assault and sexual harassment. It also provides special procedures for cases involving children.

In this case, the allegations remain subject to the police investigation and any subsequent court proceedings. An arrest is not a finding of guilt.

Investigation continues

Police are investigating the allegations against the teacher as well as the circumstances surrounding the student’s death. NDTV reported that the senior police officer confirmed the alleged inappropriate touching as part of the investigation so far.

No independent source reviewed for this report established that the teacher’s alleged conduct was the sole cause of the student’s death. That connection remains a matter for the investigation to establish.

The school and education authorities’ response was not detailed in the reports reviewed by REPORTIVA.

The case has renewed attention on the responsibility of schools to protect students from abuse and to act when complaints involving children are raised. Under the POCSO framework, sexual offences against children are dealt with through a dedicated legal process.

The investigation is continuing, and further details about the allegations, the police case, and any action by education authorities may emerge as the case progresses.