Maharashtra school starts probe into molestation case

The Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, where 49 girl students had last week complained of sexual harassment by their teachers, has launched an internal probe into the matter.

A three-member panel has been asked to probe the case and submit a report in a week’s time. At present, the panel is recording the statements of the victims, official sources said.

The police had earlier arrested the school’s physical training instructor Sandeep Ladkhedkar, chemistry teacher Rajan Gajbhiye and biology teacher Shailesh Ramteke after the girls lodged a complaint of sexual harassment against them.

All of them were subsequently suspended by the Deputy Commissioner of Navodaya Vidyalaya Committee, Pune. In the case of Ladkhedkar, even though 18 girls had originally alleged molestation, a group of 20 parents have come up in support, and said that they will take back their complaints against other teachers if he (Ladkhedkar) is implicated, a police official said.