Teacher held for sexually harassing Class V students

The Pune police on Tuesday arrested a visiting faculty member of an English-medium school for allegedly sexually harassing at least 25 Class V students for the past four months.

The suspect has been identified as Pradip Balwant Gothaskar (45),a resident of Panchavati,Pashan. A complaint was lodged by the school authorities at the Chatushringi police station in this regard. Police booked the suspect under Sections 7,9 (f),10 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.

Police said Gothaskar,a visiting faculty for the writing skills subject,had been teaching at the school since 2011.

On February 5,2013,a girl studying in the same class complained of sexual harassment against Gothaskar to the school authorities.

The school then initiated an internal inquiry and only found the suspect guilty of harassing this particular girl,but also about 20 to 25 other girls.

The school authorities then approached the Pune police,after which senior police inspector Bhanupratap Barge of social security cell crime branch held a meeting with the school authorities and parents of the students.

Sub inspector S N Bhoite of Chatushringi police station is investigating the case.

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