Shimla, 23 June

A teacher has been arrested for allegedly sexually harassing 24 girl students at a government school in Sirmaur district of Himachal Pradesh, police sources said on Monday.

The arrest came after the students of classes VIII to X complained to the school principal about the harassment. The school authorities informed police.

The 24 students gave a written complaint to the principal on Friday, alleging they were touched inappropriately by the teacher. The complaint was then forwarded to the school's anti-sexual harassment committee, the school authorities said.

On Saturday, the students' parents were called for a meeting and it was found that most of them were unaware of the harassment faced by their children, they said.

The teacher has been arrested. A case has been registered against him under Section 75 (sexual harassment) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the police sources said.