Palakkad teacher rapes class VI boy after forcing him to drink alcohol; assault reported weeks later

Palakkad: A school teacher was arrested on Sunday for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor boy after forcing him to consume alcohol at Malampuzha, police said, in a case that came to light nearly three weeks after the crime was allegedly committed.

The accused, identified as Anil, a native of Kollangode, was working as an upper primary Sanskrit teacher at an aided school in the Malampuzha area. According to police, the incident took place on November 29, when Anil allegedly took a Class VI student, aged around 12, to his residence. There, he is accused of forcing the child to drink liquor and sexually assaulting him.

The case surfaced weeks later, on December 18, after the victim reportedly confided in a schoolmate. The schoolmate shared the information with his mother, who then informed the victim’s parents, police said. Until then, the alleged assault had remained undisclosed, highlighting the delay in reporting the crime.

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After learning about the incident, the parents approached the school authorities. While the management initiated disciplinary action against the teacher, including his removal from service, allegations have surfaced that the school did not immediately inform the police despite being aware of the seriousness of the offence.

Meanwhile, the Special Branch of the Kerala Police received independent information about the incident and carried out a preliminary verification. Police said the intelligence wing found substance in the allegations and shared the details with the local police.

Based on the information received, police recorded the victim’s statement and registered a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The Malampuzha police subsequently arrested the accused.
School authorities later stated that there was no intentional delay in reporting the matter. They claimed that the child’s relatives had formally approached the school only recently and that action was taken promptly thereafter. The management also said the teacher was expelled from service as soon as the allegations were confirmed.