The accused government school teacher is still missing, cops said (Representational)
A government school teacher in Chhattisgarh's Jashpur district allegedly raped a 13-year-old student following which she became pregnant, a police official said on Sunday.
The accused, Rashid Anwar Khan, also allegedly forced the girl to undergo an abortion at a private hospital with the help his associate, he said.
Khan, who worked at a government school located at a village in the district, is still at large while his associate Sukhlal was arrested on Friday, the official said.
The teacher and four other school staff members, including the headmaster, have been suspended while action has also been taken against three education department officials for alleged negligence of duty, another official said.
As per preliminary investigation, the Class 7 student was raped inside the school premises two months ago. The accused threatened the girl with dire consequences if she informed anyone about the offence, police said.
The girl recently complained of some health issues following which her parents took her to a hospital where doctors found that she was pregnant, he said.
When the accused came to know about the girl's pregnancy, he took her to a private hospital on February 22 and allegedly forced her to undergo an abortion with the help of Sukhlal, he said.
The girl's parents approached the police on Friday following which a case was registered against the accused under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for rape, criminal intimidation, causing miscarriage without woman's consent, criminal conspiracy and under provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Search is on for the teacher, the official said, adding that a probe is also underway into the role of the hospital where the abortion was done.
Taking serious note of the incident, Jashpur Collector Nilesh Mahadev Kshirsagar has suspended the teacher and four other school staff, including the headmaster, a government official said.
"After the incident came to light, the accused teacher was suspended. The school's headmaster, two other teachers and a peon were also placed under suspension for alleged negligence in duty," he said.
Besides, block resource coordinator Vipin Kumar Ambasht has been dismissed from service, cluster resource coordinator Raghvendra Chauhan has been suspended while block education officer PK Bhatnagar has been transferred, he said.