Morung Express News
Dimapur | September 23
A school headmaster, who was arrested on September 19 in Tuensang, on charges of molesting 4 students, all minors, has been identified by the Tuensang police.
The accused was a 57 year-old man— VJ Jose, hailing from the Pallakad district of Kerala, as per a press release from the Tuensang police. He was serving as the headmaster of the school in Tuensang where the 4 students were allegedly molested.
It said that Jose was arrested on September 19, on receipt of a formal complaint, which was filed the same day, charging him of molesting 4 minor students from his school. The complaint was filed by the parents of the students.
While stating that he was booked under IPC section 354 and relevant section of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, it said that during the course of investigation, the statements of the complainants and the victims were recorded. After completion of interrogation, the accused was forwarded to judicial custody on September 20.
According to the release, the SDPO, Tuensang, along with OC Women PS have visited the school and conducted a thorough enquiry to ascertain, if any other such incidents have happened in the school where the accused served. However no other incident has been reported, it added.
Following the revelation of the alleged molestation, the Changsao Thangjam Setshang (Chang Women Organization), in a press release condemning the incident, had claimed that it was not the accused headmaster’s first such offence.
When queried on this, a Tuensang police official replied there was no evidence as to incriminate the accused for past offences, if any. “If someone has any information regarding this, may contact us,” the police official said, while stating investigation was on.
