Physical education teacher held for impregnating minor student in Vizag

Visakhapatnam: A 32-year-old physical education teacher (PET) of a corporate school has been arrested for raping and impregnating a 14-year-old girl at his school.

The incident took place under the PM Palem police station limits in Visakhapatnam city and it came to light on Monday when the girl’s parents discovered her pregnancy after she was taken to a hospital for a medical checkup. The accused was identified as B Durga Prasad.

According to the police, the accused had been giving her throwball coaching on the school premises and began to stalk her. In January, when the girl went to school for throwball practice, the PET took her to his residence and sexually assaulted her.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (North Zone) B Sunil said that the victim was trapped in the guise of coaching. The accused was booked under the relevant sections of POCSO Act-2012 and sections of 376 of IPC and he was arrested hours after the complaint, he added. The case was transferred to the Disha police station for further investigation.

Following the incident, there was an outrage among the public and women activists in the city. The leaders and activists of various women’s organisations on Monday condemned the heinous incident and demanded stringent action against the accused and the management of the school to deter such incidents in the future.