A school teacher who eloped with a student from her class and stayed in a lodge in Puducherry for four days has been arrested and booked under the POCSO Act. A teacher in the noble profession, instead of moulding the young minds into future leaders, had exploited their innocence to satiate her sexual lust. Such incidents are almost common in Tamil Nadu.
In the recent incident, Madurai-based 42-year-old Fathima Gani is a computer teacher in a private school in Karyapatti village in Virudhunagar district. She, it is said, has fallen in love with 17 years old plus two student and took special care in his education. The extraordinary care and affection shown towards the particular student had become a topic of discussion among peers and teachers in the school. When the student met with an accident, the teacher allegedly showed extra care in his speedy recovery. Using that opportunity, she took lessons he missed due to his accident and helped him complete his homework. It is learnt that she did all the homework for him.
Upon learning of their closeness and considering the seriousness of the student’s future, as well as to protect the school’s reputation, the management transferred Fathima Gani to Madurai Melur School. Unfazed by her transfer, she continued to maintain a close relationship with the Plus Two boy. She waited for the Plus Two examinations to be over and was ready to elope with him, but it did not materialize. In the wee hours of June 16, the student went missing from his home. Despite efforts by his parents and relatives, they failed to locate him. Subsequently, a complaint was lodged at the Aviyoor police station. Based on this complaint, the police launched a search operation in various places. They found him in Puducherry at a lodge with the teacher.
சிறுவனுடன் தங்கிய ஆசிரியை கைது!#Virudhunagar | #Teacher | #arrestedhttps://t.co/y4W3uzOopr pic.twitter.com/vE1D7dLJUu
— Dinamalar (@dinamalarweb) June 24, 2024
Both were brought to Madurai and questioned. The teacher said she took him to Puducherry only to get him admitted to a college there. The police asked her, “When his parents were alive, what made you take him to Puducherry and try to admit him to a college?” Police arrested her and invoked the POCSO Act as she had taken the minor without the permission of his parents. Fathima Gani, who is married and has two children, was involved in the incident.
Police suspected something fishy when they found a letter purportedly written by the student, stating he was leaving home to join college. If that were the reason, he would have shared it with his parents and asked for permission. It is alleged that the teacher “had an infatuation towards this young boy that seemed to be one-sided. But she had slowly changed the boy’s mind to like her.” After counselling, the student was sent home with his parents.
