Kerala teacher accused of sexually abusing students over years arrested

Abstract

A Kerala school teacher’s social media post on the last day of his three-decade-long career opened the floodgates for a barrage of sexual harassment allegations by his former students. The 58-year-old teacher was arrested on Friday.

KV Sasi Kumar, a CPI(M) leader and a three-time Malappuram municipal councillor, retired from an aided higher secondary school in Malappuram on March 31 and posted about the same on Facebook. Soon after, an alumna commented on the post and accused Kumar of sexual harassment while she was his student, triggering similar #metoo accusations from other women.

Kumar, who was expelled from the CPI(M) last month, has dismissed the allegations saying that “he was targeted due to an internal rift in the party”.

According to the police, more than 75 students have accused Kumar of sexual assault but the majority of them were not ready to file complaints, saying they can’t run after litigations.

Police said only a single case has been registered against Kumar at Malappuram police station. [Read More]