Kerala Teacher Booked Under POCSO Act; Students Accuse Him Of Sexual Abuse

A Kerala teacher and councillor have been booked by Malappuram police under the POCSO Act after a group of alumni of St Gemma's Girls Higher Secondary School filed a complaint against him. KV Sasikumar, a CPI(M) councillor and retired teacher, was accused of sexually abusing several students at the school for years.

A social media post by Sasikumar recalling his 38 years of service and being an "ideal teacher" prompted the former students to come out and speak about the sexual abuse he perpetrated. Many students hit back calling him a "paedophile".

The alumni group led by Beena Pillai, a lawyer, filed a complaint against him on May 11 at the Women's Police Station in Malappuram.

Kerala Teacher Booked Under POCSO Act

District Police Chief was quoted as saying that the case was filed on the basis of a complaint filed by a former student and that the accused is absconding but the police were searching for him.

Beena, who has accused Sasikumar of sexually abusing students said that he had even raped the students when they were between nine and 12 years of age. While speaking to the media at a press conference she said that the teachers and school authorities who were informed about the incidents of sex abuse did not pay heed to the girls' complaints.

"The teachers used to tell the girls not to flirt with him whenever they complained. It is quite serious. He is learnt to have abused dozens of girls over these years," Benna was quoted as saying by The Hindu.

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According to the reports, the survivors have formed a collective on social media and have begun a campaign against him. Several students who were subjected to abuse by him also staged a protest against him in Malappuram. Beena was also quoted saying that they don't have a vendetta against the accused but it is a movement against abusive teachers like him who are in the workforce.

Reports suggest that students had filed a complaint with the school in 2019 but no action was initiated against Sasikumar.

Beena added that there were several cases of aggravated sexual assault involving Sasikumar and that two students also attempted dying by suicide of which one was hospitalised. She further spoke that several survivors were reluctant because of family constraints.

District Congress Committee, The Muslim Youth League, the Youth Congress, the Welfare Party of India, the Fraternity Movement, and the Vanitha League staged a protest on May 12, Thursday, demanding Sasikumar's arrest.