Early Times Report
Jammu, Sept 30 : For raping a minor girl of 8th class, a school teacher has been sentenced to seven years rigorous imprisonment by principal sessions judge, Reasi, S R Gandhi.
Jarnail Singh, son of Lal Singh of Shikari, Mahore, had committed the rape on the eight class student. The girl had submitted a written complaint against him in the court of first class judicial magistrate, Mahore on July 1, 2010. The judge had forwarded it to the SHO of Mahore police station in terms of section 156(3) of the CrPC, stating therein that the girl, a student of 8th class in middle school, Shikari, was a minor of 13-14 years of age whereas the accused was a teacher in the school.
According to the girl, the teacher had on June 26, 2010 asked her to collect the books, which were to be supplied to students, from his house after the school time. When she reached his house, he was all alone there. He took her in his room and raped her. Thereafter he threatened her to strike off her name from the school in case she narrated the incident to anybody. When she did not go to the school, her mother enquired from her, following which she narrated her the whole incident on June 30, 2010. Her father then produced her in the court for legal action. On the court intervention, police registered a case against the teacher under section 376 of RPC.
After hearing the two sides, the judge said, "The role of a teacher in making each one of us a better person cannot be denied. Anyone can become a teacher, but it takes a special person to be a great teacher. A teacher has to arise above the crowd and make a lasting impression on the minds of students. It is not only the teaching but the character of the teacher also forms part of it, as what the teacher is, is more important than what he teaches. He holds a fiduciary relationship with his students. A teacher if turns to be a molester or ravisher, the consequences and its impact on the society could be horrible. It would shake the faith of general public in such a relationship. In the recent past, a number of cases of molestation on the part of the teachers have been noticed. It is a cause of concern for all of us. Such cases need to be dealt with sternly and a strong message must go to such perpetrators of crime. It is well said that good teachers are costly but bad teachers cost more."
With these observations, the court awarded seven years of rigorous imprisonment to the accused and also fined him Rs 25,000, directing that Rs 20,000 be given to the prosecutrix as compensation. (JNF) |
