HAVERI, 18 DEC

The Savanur police have arrested three suspects in a case in which a government Urdu school teacher, Jagadish Vaggannavar, was assaulted, garlanded with slippers and paraded on the streets for allegedly sexually harassing girl students.

The arrested suspects are Savanur residents Abdulgani Paras, Khalil Ahmed Khatib and Ahmed Khan Khanjade.

On 10 December, the suspects allegedly barged into the school, assaulted teacher Jagadish, beat him with slippers, and then humiliated him by placing a garland of slippers around his neck and parading him along the main roads of Savanur. A video of the parade went viral on social media.

After a complaint was filed by the victim, the Savanur police registered an FIR against 22 persons. Of these, three have now been arrested, while attempts are underway to apprehend the remaining suspects.

The accused were identified from a video footage of the incident. After the case was registered, all suspects fled. 

CPI S Devanand and Head Constable Mallikarjun Odanavar have been suspended for failure to take action.

In his complaint, English teacher Jagadish alleged that the suspects had attacked him with an iron rod. 

He said that between 11.30am and 1pm on 10 December, a group assaulted him accusing him of behaving indecently with girls, attempted to kill him, dragged him out of the school, beat him with slippers, and paraded him through the roads of Savanur with a slipper garland.

District Superintendent of Police Yashoda Vantagodi said that cases have been registered against 22 people for assaulting the teacher and for sexual harassment against the teacher.