Assam Headmaster Sentenced to Seven Years for Assaulting Student

Guwahati: A special POCSO court in Dhubri, Assam, has sentenced a school headmaster to seven years of rigorous imprisonment for the sexual assault of a 14-year-old student. Special Judge Alhaj Sabeena Mazumdar also ordered the convicted teacher to pay a Rs 10,000 fine and directed the state to provide Rs 1 lakh in compensation to the victim.

The incident occurred on June 10, 2021, when the Class IX student visited the school to finish registration paperwork. The headmaster lured the girl to sit beside him, at which point he groped her and attempted to remove her clothing. Her cries for help alerted local shopkeepers, who detained the man until police arrived on the scene.

During the trial, Special Public Prosecutor Rituparna Guha presented testimony from six witnesses, including the victim and her father. The court convicted the man under Section 10 of the POCSO Act but acquitted him of rape charges because the assault was not penetrative. In its ruling, the court emphasized the gravity of the breach of trust, noting that parents rely on teachers as guardians.

The court stated, "The well-known Sanskrit verse describing a teacher as equal to Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva" highlights the high moral standard expected of educators. Judge Mazumdar dismissed pleas for leniency, citing the lasting trauma of the victim and the negative impact such crimes have on girls' education. The court ordered that the victim receive ongoing professional counselling through state-run child welfare programs.