Indian school headmaster arrested for sexual assaults on minors

Sunil, 40, accused of sexually assaulting at least five girls at a government-run school in southern state of Telangana.

Women in India protest rape
An average of nearly 90 rapes were reported in India every day last year but large numbers are thought to go unreported [File: Bikas Das/AP Photo]

Indian police have arrested a headmaster of a government-run school in the southern state of Telangana after he was accused of repeated sexual assaults on at least five female students aged between six and 10.

The incident came to light after one of his victims fell ill and disclosed the incident to her mother while undergoing treatment.

After the family advised the police, it was revealed that the accused had sexually assaulted more students.

“The teacher has been arrested for sexual assault on minor girls of a school at Chintavare village of Laxmidevipalli Mandal,” Sunil Dutt, a superintendent of police in the Bhadradri Kothagudem district, told Al Jazeera.

“One of the girl’s parents complained and during the investigation, we got to know that he has exploited four other girls as well.

“He molested girls in school premises,” Dutt said.

Indian media reported that the accused, 40-year-old Dodda Sunil, threaten to harm them if they spoke about the assault.

The accused, who was on run, was arrested on Wednesday evening.

Local police have registered a case against Sunil.

Additional reporting by Bilal Kuchay in New Delhi

Source: Al Jazeera