A 55-year-old primary school teacher in Upleta taluka, Rajkot, was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly sexually abusing at least five girls, all Senior KG students, inside a classroom. The charges include rape and aggravated penetrative sexual assault.
Details of the Accused
The accused, identified as Devanand Bera, is physically disabled and uses crutches to move around. He had been teaching at the school for the past three years. The arrest came after a complaint was filed by the mother of one of the victims on Monday night at Patanvav police station.
How the Abuse Came to Light
The matter came to light when one of the young students told her parents about inappropriate touching by the teacher. The parents immediately alerted school authorities. Further inquiries revealed that multiple children had been targeted. The abuse allegedly started on June 28, 2025, and continued until May 2, 2026.
Legal Action Taken
The complaint was registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Sections 75(2), 351(2) and 64(2) (rape), along with Sections 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault), 8 and 10 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. Police sources confirmed that Bera had been engaging in sexually inappropriate behavior, molesting and violating the girls over the specified period.
Investigation Update
Investigating Officer Y M Gohil said that statements of the victims’ parents have been recorded, and medical examinations of both the accused and the victims have been completed. Vijay Singh Gurjar, Superintendent of Police, Rajkot Rural, stated, “Preliminary findings revealed a lack of security infrastructure at the facility, as no CCTV cameras were installed. The victims’ statements will be recorded before a magistrate under Section 183 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita.”
School and Administrative Response
District Primary Education Officer Dixit Patel said his office received an email about the police complaint on Tuesday. Subsequently, the taluka primary education officer was directed to begin a formal inquiry. Bera has been suspended with immediate effect pending further investigation.
