KATHMANDU, MAY 24
Police today arrested two teachers of St Lawrence College in Chabahil of Kathmandu for alleged sexual harassment of minor girls studying in Grades XI and XII.
The arrested are Janardan Adhikari, 47, coordinator of the college and Rajan Kumar Poudel, 51, a social studies teacher of the same college.
They were arrested under child molestation offence.
The arrest was made after college students came forward staging demonstration and demanding action against teachers of the same school from early morning today. At least three girls had filed FIR against the accused perpetrators at the Metropolitan Police Circle Gausala till this evening . Two more girls, who also accused the same teachers of molestation, are set to file case tomorrow with the police.
Meanwhile, Kathmandu District Court has remanded the accused teachers to fiveday judicial custody for police to investigation into the case.
The college premises remained tensed almost all day long today after students protested against the college management from early morning outside the college building demanding action against the accused teachers.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Keshab Bhattarai told THT that the girls had filed a complaint related to sexual harassment and intimidation and threat by the teachers.
"The teachers are accused of inappropriate touching, groping, passing lewd comments, and proposing sex," said Bhattarai.
He further said the girls had also accused the teachers of threatening and intimidating them saying they would be expelled from the college or they would fail them in the examinations if they did not accept their proposal and spoke anything against them.
As per media reports, the coordinator had asked one girl to be his sex partner and promised to get her a new rented room if she agreed to become his partner. He had then threatened the girl telling her to remain silent about the proposal or she would be expelled from the college. Other girls have also accused them of similar charges. A few days ago, an eight-year-old issue of the rape of 16-year-old aspiring model by the beauty pageant organiser had shaken the nation. It sparked demonstrations demanding justice for the girl and a fair investigation into the case.
A version of this article appears in the print on May 25, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
