Teacher, peon jailed for stalking girls

An assistant teacher and a peon of Shibram Adarsha Public School in Aponpara area of the town were sent to jail on Tuesday by a mobile court here for stalking two schoolgirls.

Sadar Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), also executive magistrate, Jayashree Rani Roy delivered the verdict at her office in presence of police and guardians on Tuesday night and sent the two to jail.

The OC said assistant teacher Omar Farooque, 25, and peon Akash Islam Babu, 18, were arrested from their rented residences at Aponpara area.

Police and guardians said two students of Class VI and Class VII were stalked by the teacher and peon.

The girls complained to the school's director in this regard, but rather than taking action against the accused, he assaulted the schoolgirls.

Taking help of local people, guardians protested the incident and informed the police on Tuesday afternoon. 

Director of the school Rashedul Islam, 32, was arrested from Balatari area on Tuesday evening.

The trio hail from Satontola village of Sundarganj upazila in Gaibandha.

A case was lodged against the director for assaulting the schoolgirls and he was sent to jail through the court yesterday, said Lalmonirhat Sadar Police Station Officer-in-Charge (OC) Mahfuz Alam.

Rashedul opened two branches of Shibram Adarsha Public School in rented houses at Aponpara and Haribhanga areas without any permission in January this year. There are a total of 170 students of playgroup to Class VII in the two schools.

There are a total of 18 teachers, including seven female teachers, and four staff in the two units.  Female teachers were recruited locally after paying deposit money, it is alleged.

The UNO said the authorities of the school could not show any valid document for running the school. Necessary action will be taken in this regard after an inquiry, she added.