Hostel warden accused of sodomy

GANGTOK, 16 June: A Hostel Warden cum Teacher at a private school in rural East Sikkim has been accused of raping five of his students by way of sodomy. The crime came to light when one of the victims, a 10-year-old boy of the same school, disclosed this to his father and refused to study in the school or stay in the hostel.

Investigations revealed that another four boys, aged between 8 to 16, residing in the same hostel were also being sexually abused by the said teacher [a trauma which is reported to have played out for a long while now]. The accused had further threatened the victims that he would fail them in the examinations and punish them if they disclosed the facts to anybody.

While speaking to NOW! over the phone, Arun Thatal [PI, Pakyong Police Station] today informed that a case under section 377 [unnatural offences] of the Indian Penal Code read with section 10 POCSO Act has been registered against the accused who is originally a resident of Pani House, Deorali, at present residing at Nimtar. The accused is currently under police custody.

When the accused learned that the parents of the victim had brought the matter to the notice of the police, he attempted suicide, the PI informed and added that the police reached in time and he was immediately evacuated to CRH, Tadong in the evening and was later discharged to police custody.

The accused has been remanded to one week judicial custody. All the five victims along with the accused have been taken to the STNM Hospital for medical examination. The hostel has been shut down and the principal of the school has agreed to postpone the school examinations of the five victims to a later date. The case is under investigation.