Shameful, Assam teacher who took obscene pictures with student is not behind bars
According to a report published in Story Pick, Faizuddin Laskar, a teacher of Model High School in Assam's Hailakandi district, took obscene pictures of himself with a minor student inside the classroom and then posted them online.
What's more shocking is that the teacher can be seen posing with the girl with a blackboard in the background, raising questions over the role of the school authorities. This sickening incident took place in a small town - Katlicherra.
Serial offender
The accused, Laskar, has been described as a "serial offender" by a local news channel, DY-365. According to the channel, the "teacher" has been charged in a similar incident before where he was punished by an angry mob for molesting a woman.
As per the channel, at the time of the previous offence, Laskar's transgression was met by the anger of a mob so severely enraged that it left him with a severed finger.
Police inaction
On learning of the troubling news, the minor's parents filed an FIR against Laskar in the local police station, but as it turns out it did little towards punishing this man for the alleged crime. Reports suggest the local police interrogated the "teacher", but let him leave shortly afterwards.
The decision to let this "serial offender" walk free, despite what appears to be photographic evidence of him outraging a minor's modesty, has caused tensions in the Katlicherra area, with locals accusing senior police officers of inaction.
Social media, NGOs react
The outrage was also visible on social media platforms, where the shameful pictures have been widely circulated. Reacting to the news, the Universal Team for Social Action and Help (UTSAH) - an NGO working for child rights - has lodged a complaint with the Assam State Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (ASCPCR).
As per a report published in the International Business Times, the NGO has asked for stringent action against the school teacher under sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012 (POCSO).
Exposing the ugly reality
In a culture where the teacher is given great importance and considered almost next to "God", the sickening case of this school teacher taking intimate photos with a young student and later posting them online has exposed an ugly reality.
The incident raises questions about the role of school authorities in hiring teachers who shape the future of our nation. In the case of Laskar, the school authorities should share the blame for appointing a man who was earlier charged with sexually assaulting a woman.
The decision of the local policemen - to allow a man charged with outraging a minor's modesty to walk free despite photographic evidence against him - simply goes on to show how lax and incompetent our law-enforcing agencies are.
It's a shame that our children are not even safe in schools that are referred to as temples of learning.
(Update: The accused teacher has since been arrested. The above article was filed earlier. Assam education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the teacher has been arrested for his “reprehensible act of exploiting children".)