A 55-year-old physical education teacher at a government school has been arrested for sexually harassing 15 students in classes 8 and 9, police said.
The teacher was posted to the school only nine months ago. Some parents alleged that the headmistress had previously ignored their complaints about the teacher.
Some girls had complained to their parents about the teacher's conduct. The parents subsequently complained to the headmistress.
The headmistress initiated an internal inquiry, which showed that the allegations against the teacher were prima facie true. She then approached the police.
Her complaint states that the teacher groped the girls and even kissed some of them on the school premises. The girls told the police that the teacher misbehaved with them during school hours, during physical education classes, and when they were left alone during class breaks.
Following the complaint, Hebbal police in northern Bengaluru booked the teacher under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act and relevant IPC sections.
The teacher went into hiding after learning about the complaint. A police team headed by inspector Dilip Kumar K H traced him to a house in Chikkaballapur district on Tuesday evening.
A police officer said: "As of now, eight girls from class 8 have given their statements against him. And after we arrested him, students in class 9 also spoke out. We will also take their statements."
Quoting the girls, the officer said that the teacher sexually harassed 10 students in class 8 and four in class 9.
Police are planning to present the teacher before a magistrate but won't seek his custody.