Kolkata, 25 July (H.S.) - A government school teacher in Alipurduar has been arrested for allegedly molesting several female students over the past few months. The accused, Bhaskar Pal, who teaches geography, was apprehended by police from a crowded local market, leading to a wave of shock and outrage in the Samuktala area.

Parents alleged that girls from classes 8 to 12 had repeatedly faced inappropriate physical contact—described as “bad touch”—from the teacher during regular and practical classes. While the students initially endured the misconduct in silence, the situation reportedly became unbearable, prompting a few to confide in their parents.

Concerns escalated as more parents came forward, revealing that despite repeated verbal complaints to the school authorities, no action was taken. Allegedly, the administration tried to downplay or suppress the issue rather than addressing it.

The matter was eventually brought to the attention of the district Child Welfare Committee (CWC) through a formal written complaint. Acting on the complaint, CWC officials conducted an inquiry at the school and submitted a detailed report to the Samuktala police station. Based on this report, police registered a suo motu case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

According to some parents, the teacher not only misbehaved with students but also intimidated them to stay silent, warning of low marks or failure in practical exams if they spoke up.

Bhaskar Pal, a resident of Samuktala and a married man, was arrested and taken into custody by police based on the findings of the CWC. His public arrest in the marketplace drew significant attention in the area.

While school officials have refused to comment on the matter, one parent stated, “The teacher’s behaviour had become completely unacceptable. He even threatened students not to tell anyone. When the school failed to act, we had no choice but to approach the CWC to protect our daughters.”

District CWC Chairman Asim Basu declined to speak further, citing the ongoing investigation. Superintendent of Police Y Raghuvamshi confirmed the arrest and said the accused teacher has been taken to court following a thorough inquiry.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh