Alipurduar: Primary school teacher arrested over child abuse

Sources said the girl was alone at the house as her mother had gone to a local temple on the occasion of Shiv Ratri

TT Correspondent   |   Alipurduar   |    07.03.22  : A primary school teacher was arrested in Falakata town of Alipurduar district on Sunday for allegedly sexually abusing a six-year-old girl when she was alone at home.

Khitish Barman, the 27-year-old teacher, was also assaulted by some agitated residents before his arrest.

Sources said that last Tuesday, the girl was alone at the house as her mother had gone to a local temple on the occasion of Shiv Ratri. Barman, who was their tenant, allegedly took the opportunity and abused her.

After the incident, the child fell ill. On Wednesday, when she was taken by her mother to the local super-specialty hospital, doctors after examining her, expressed their suspicion that she had suffered physical torture.

They asked her mother to inform the police. The woman contacted the Falakata police station. Police spoke to the girl who was still under treatment.

Eventually, the police confirmed that the doctors had been correct in their observation.

On Sunday, the girl’s mother filed a complaint with the police, accusing Barman of sexually harassing her daughter.

As the news spread, a section of angry local residents caught hold of Barman and beat him up. A police team then reached the spot and arrested him.

Later in the day, the accused teacher was produced at the additional chief judicial magistrate's court in Alipurduar. The court heard the case and ordered that Barman be sent to 14 days of judicial custody.

“Our investigation is in progress. We are gathering some more details about the incident,” said  Kuntal Banerjee, the additional superintendent of police of Jaigaon.