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KARIMNAGAR: An investigation ordered by district collector Pamela Satpathy has uncovered a shocking case of sexual harassment at a Zilla Parishad High School in Kurikyala village of Gangadhara mandal, Karimnagar district, and led to the discovery of a suspected hidden camera in the girls’ washroom.The incident came to light during the Shukravaram Sabha held on October 24, a weekly safety awareness programme aimed at educating women and girls on health, safety and legal rights, including sessions on the Pocso Act and the concept of good and bad touch. Encouraged by the discussions, several girl students came forward and revealed that Mohammad Yakub Pasha, 30, a school attender and resident of Kurikyala, had been harassing them for nearly a year. Some students also reported noticing a blinking light inside the washroom, which they suspected to be a hidden camera. They immediately informed their parents, prompting the collector to order an inquiry. Police commissioner Gouse Alam supervised the probe, which involved officials from multiple departments. The inquiry team visited the school and confirmed the allegations. Investigators found that Yakub Pasha had been misbehaving with minor girls and taking photographs with them during school functions, which he allegedly morphed and used to intimidate them. The school principal was suspended for concealing facts and failing to act on previous complaints by students. ACP G. Vijay Kumar led a fast-track investigation and arrested Yakub Pasha at Rekurthi Chowrasta in Karimnagar city on Tuesday. He was produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody. The ACP warned that stringent action would be taken against anyone involved in sexual abuse or harassment of women and minors. He urged students and working women to file complaints without fear, assuring that victims’ identities would remain confidential. Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar commended the prompt and decisive action of the collector and police commissioner in addressing the matter.
