Karkala : The Karkala police have arrested four persons including the in-charge Headmaster of the Hebri Shivapura Government High School in connection with the case of molestation of students. The Shivapura Gram Panchayat President has also been arrested for trying to hush up the case.
The incident is learnt to have taken place in the month of February. The in-charge Headmaster Venkatramana Kalkura is the prime accused. It is learnt he used to summon students to the school on the pretext of special classes and molest a few of them after asking them to come to his chamber. His deeds stood exposed when he tried to victimise a Dalit student.
The other accused in the case are Suresh Shetty, the GP Chief, teachers Hemavathi and Veena. They have been accused of trying to stand by the headmaster.
Police sources also revealed that a meeting was also held between the parents of the victim, the headmaster, teachers Hemavathi, Veena and Udupi DDPI. It is said during the meeting, the headmaster had admitted his guilt and promised that he would not come towards the school in June and would seek transfer., Though the DDPI, GP Chief and teachers backed him, within a month had reportedly changed tune and were questioning why he should be punished.
It is learnt the GP Chief had then threatened the parents of the victim against lodging a police complaint.
However, the entire episode stood exposed when the accused headmaster did not secure transfer and remained posted in the school.
The complaint was lodged by the girl’s parents with SP Boralingaiah on Wednesday July 31. The SP had directed Karkala ASP Annamalai to investigate and the headmaster was arrested late night on Wednesday. The others were arrested on Thursday morning. However, the Udupi DDPI said to be involved has not yet been arrested.
ASP Annamalai has said the prime accused Venkatramana is sure to get punishment for his crime while the other accused may be released after furnishing a bond.
Embarrassment for BJP : The molestation case has certainly landed the BJP in an embarrassment, as the GP Chief Suresh Shetty who is arrested on the charges of trying to hush up the case, is a BJP man.
