FIR Filed Against Karnataka Congress Official for Alleged Sexual Harassment of Teacher

Bengaluru, Nov 28 (NationPress) The police in Karnataka have initiated an FIR against a prominent State Congress official due to accusations of sexually harassing a teacher at a school he manages in Bengaluru on Thursday.

The complaint has been lodged at the Chennammanakere Achukattu police station against Gurappa Naidu, who serves as the state Congress General Secretary and is also the Chairman of the BGS Bloom School.

The authorities have charged him under various sections of the IPC including 354 (a) (sexual harassment), 354 (assault or criminal force against a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty), 506 (criminal intimidation), 504 (intentional insults provoking a breach of the peace), and 509 (acts, words, or gestures that insult a woman's modesty).

It is reported that these incidents allegedly took place between 2021 and 2023.

In her testimony to the police, the victim claimed, “Accused Gurappa Naidu has been exploiting vulnerable female staff members at his school. He has been manipulating and also assaulting them. He records these acts and uses the footage for blackmail.”

A teacher stated that she was employed at the school run by the accused, noting that over 75 percent of the staff are women from middle and lower socioeconomic backgrounds, many of whom have children attending the same institution.

In her complaint, she described Naidu as a psychotic womanizer who harasses women and instills fear. “Everyone in the school is intimidated by him, and he manipulates women at his discretion,” she asserted.

“The accused creates obscene and exploitive videos of women and uses them for extortion. He threatens them with the potential for these videos to be made public if they do not comply with his demands. He also intimidates female staff with threats of harm if they consider reporting him to the police,” she detailed.

Furthermore, the victim mentioned, “Gurappa Naidu has taken advantage of many women from disadvantaged backgrounds, who suffer in silence due to fear. Although we contemplated filing a complaint against him, we ultimately refrained due to his influence and the potential backlash from our families.”

“I have been employed at the school for three years. The accused would frequently summon me to his office and press me about when I would be 'ready.' His lingering gaze caused me significant emotional distress,” she recounted.

“Naidu's conduct was inappropriate. He used lewd language and would draw me into his office. When I resisted, he became aggressive, claiming that all others were compliant while I was not, despite his supposed affection,” she noted.

“He insisted that I would not change, making derogatory remarks about my family background. I left the school premises in tears after he verbally abused me,” she added.

“My mother noticed my distress and inquired about the situation. Upon sharing my experience, she advised me against returning to work there. I’ve been feeling threatened and anxious since the incident. It took me a long time to regain my composure, and I often revisit those traumatic experiences. Despite many teachers and staff being victimized, no one seems willing to speak out,” she expressed.

In response to these allegations, Lokesh Jagalasar, DCP (South), stated, “A case has been filed at the Chennammanakere Achukattu police station in Bengaluru. A teacher has reported molestation against the chairman, and this matter is under investigation.”