The police said the accused claimed he had himself been sexually abuse as a child. (Representational)
A madrasa teacher in Kerala's Kottayam district has been arrested for the alleged sexual assault of two children. The man, Yousuf VM, in his early 60s, is in judicial custody, the police said.
The two families filed the complaints on May 31. The next day, the man was arrested from from Kodungallur in Thrissur.
He targeted minor children, luring them with sweets, the police said. The attacks took place in the institution where Quranic lessons are taught.
The complaint was filed after the parents, finding out about the matter, informed the mosque officials.
"The arrest was made on basis of the complaint of the family members of the two minors. We will be circulating his pictures, especially locally, so that if there are more complaints, people would come forward," Kottayam SP Hari Sankar told NDTV.
The police said the accused man has claimed that he had undergone sexual abuse when he was a minor and later, turned into a habitual offender.
"There are reports of more abuses by him, but no complaints have been received yet. Minor students and their parents at the madrassa are being counselled by the Child Welfare Committee." another police officer who is part of the probe told NDTV.
Yousuf has been arrested under POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act for sexual assault.