Karate teacher arrested for sexual assault of teen in Nilgiris

The police has also remanded seven others for physically attacking the teen and her mother for filing a complaint against the teacher.

news Sexual Assault

Days after a teeanger's mother filed a police complaint against her karate teacher accusing him of sexual assualt, the Gudalur police have finally arrested the perpetrator. The arrest, according to sources, was made late on Tuesday night.

As per reports, Sabu Abraham (55) was arrested and remanded by the Gudalur All Women’s Police Station (AWPS) after the survivor’s mother filed a complaint accusing him of sexually assaulting her daughter. The survivor is a 16-year-old girl who attended Karate classes under Sabu Abraham in her school and at St Mary’s Church in Vimalagiri. The police then registered an FIR against him under sections 7 (Sexual Assault) and 8 (Punishment for sexual assault) of the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The Gudalur police also arrested seven persons who had assaulted the survivor and her mother at their home. The seven persons arrested were named by the mother of the survivor, in a complaint filed on Monday, after the attack. The attack happened on Sunday evening after word spread that the survivor had lodged a complaint against the karate teacher. A mob of around 60 persons including the survivor’s father and relatives laid siege on their house and thrashed the girl and her mother. The attack left the survivor with serious injuries to the left side of her face and head and she was admitted into Ooty Government Hospital on Monday morning.

Sabu Abraham had allegedly sexually assaulted the survivor a few months ago, which forced her to report him to the principal of her school and the father vicar of the church Johny Elavunkal. However, the survivor had told TNM that though the principal and the father assured her that action will be taken against Sabu Abraham, nothing was done. Instead, Johny Elavunkal allegedly insulted her and her family in a Sunday mass gathering at the church, which prompted the survivor to approach the police seeking action against the school principal, the priest and Sabu Abraham.

Also read: TN teen alleges sexual harassment by teacher; her father and church members attack her