55 of a school complain of sexual harassment by teachers

Mangalore Today News Network

Mumbai, April 3, 2015, DHNS: Fifty five girls studying at Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV) in the Akola district of Maharashtra have complained of vulgar talk, molestation and sexual advances by two male teachers.

The JNVs are specifically tasked with finding talented children in rural areas and providing them with education equivalent to the best residential school system, irrespective of their socio-economic condition.

The Civil Lines police station at Akola had registered a complaint against the two teachers - Rajan Gajbhiye (42) and Shailesh Ramteke (49) – following the intervention of Dr Asha Mirge, a member of the Maharashtra State Women’s Commission.

Accused at large
The accused are at large and the police are trying to hunt them down.

Mirge also briefed Collector Arun Shinde and SP Chandrakishore Mina about the incident. “They were very supportive,” Mirge told Deccan Herald over phone from Akola. Mirge said that on March 27, she received an anonymous complaint regarding sexual harassment of two girls and she immediately met Principal R Singh.

“He told us that on March 22 and 23 their internal committee forwarded a report to the divisional commissioner in Pune,” she said, adding that on March 25, one of the teachers visited the home of a student and the complaint was withdrawn. “The two students were around 17 years of age and are in Class XII, and after the exams they left for their homes,” she added.

Mirge said that given the fact that there are 359 students in the school, she decided to speak to the students. “Several of them complained of gestures, vulgar talk, molestation and advances,” she said.

“The teachers would talk about private parts, show how to use a condom by using a candle, engage in talk which offended the girls,” she said.
When asked since how long this was happening, Mirge said: “Some of the girls told us that it was happening since the last four years. However, none of them have given this in writing.”