A local court in Kinnaur sentenced an arts teacher to 7 years in prison for sexual assault on 12 schoolgirls. The court said, “Child sexual abuse is a social crisis of significant magnitude”.A local court in Kinnaur sentenced an arts teacher to 7 years in prison for sexual assault on 12 schoolgirls. The court said, “Child sexual abuse is a social crisis of significant magnitude”.The 44-year-old teacher hails from Madhya Pradesh and was teaching arts to the students of class 6. A case was registered in September 2024, where 12 students had accused the teacher of sexually assaulting them.The fast-track special court (Rape/ POCSO) Kinnaur at Rampur Bushahr in district Shimla, on May 30, while convicting the accused teacher said, “A teacher holds a position of trust and responsibility….. Convict, being such an experienced teacher, was supposed to protect the minor girls in his guardianship, who reposed complete trust in him but he misused his position and sexually assaulted 12 child victims. He destroyed the sanctity of teacher and student relationship. Convict might have received many rewards for his work in the field of Art but in the present case, he broke the trust of his students”.The court further held, “The court has to reinforce the message that sexual abuse is not tolerable at any cost”.The accused had submitted before the court that he was falsely implicated in the case which the court did not find very convincing.Deputy District Attorney Kamal Chandel said the accused was working as an arts teacher in a school in 2024. During the trial, it was established that he had allegedly engaged in inappropriate conduct and sexually harassed several minor girl students during arts classes by touching them inappropriately. The matter came to light after the students reported the incidents to their counselling teacher. The school authorities subsequently informed the police, following which an FIR was registered and the accused was arrested.During the trial, the prosecution examined 25 witnesses, while the defence produced one witness. After considering the evidence and arguments presented by both sides, the court held the accused guilty of the offences charged.The court also imposed a fine of ₹12,000 and the fine imposed if realized shall be paid to the 12 child victims – ₹1,000 to each child.The court also issued direction to award a compensation of ₹50,000 to each child victim and as the victims are minor hence, 50% of the compensation amount be deposited in a fixed deposit account in the name of each victim till she attains the age of majority or for a period of three years, whichever is later and remaining 50% of the amount may be disbursed to her immediately.The court clarified that the compensation be paid to the victims from State Victim Compensation Fund or other scheme or funds established for the purpose of compensating and rehabilitating the victims and in case no such fund exists, then it shall be paid by the state government.