Yet another case of sexual assault on students has emerged, shocking the entire state. Two students of the Arunachal Public School in Ziro in Lower Subansiri district have alleged that a teacher and the husband of the principal of the school molested them. The police have arrested two persons after an FIR was lodged last Saturday by the parents of the two students. The accused have been booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, as the victims are minors.
This new case has emerged at a time when the state was still struggling to come to terms after 21 schoolchildren of Karo residential school in Shi-Yomi district were molested and raped by the warden. The repeated act of sexual assault on students by teachers is deeply worrying. The teachers are supposed to protect the students. If the protectors turn into oppressors, how will the students feel safe? There is a need for strict vigil to prevent this kind of crime. The school authorities and the state government together should work out a solution to make our schools safer for the students. In the meanwhile, it is to be hoped that the Ziro police will properly investigate the case and ensure that the accused do not go scot-free.