Alipurduar: A Booth Level Officer (BLO) and primary school teacher in Alipurduar has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting his eight-year-old daughter, triggering widespread outrage across the district. The arrest followed a written complaint lodged by his wife at the local police station.
According to police sources, the teacher had been serving as a BLO, though no action has been taken regarding dereliction of duty. The arrest was made solely on the basis of the sexual-assault allegation.
A case has been registered against him under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. According to the local sources the couple had been embroiled in a prolonged marital dispute, and several mediation attempts had failed.
Some neighbours speculated that the complaint might have stemmed from this conflict. However, acting on the wife’s formal complaint, police took immediate action, arrested the accused, and produced him before court.
The minor survivor has been taken to a government hospital for medical examination, while police will record her confidential statement as part of the investigation. Meanwhile, the Alipurduar district administration has initiated the process of appointing another official to handle his BLO responsibilities.
Speaking to reporters, the accused teacher’s wife said: “For a long time, my husband has been subjecting my daughter to horrific abuse. I was compelled to seek justice and file a complaint.” She declined to comment on their ongoing marital issues. District Superintendent of Police Y Raghuvamshi said: “We received a specific complaint, based on which the accused was arrested. An investigation is underway.”