Teachers Convicted for Abusing Deaf Students

A special court in Mumbai has convicted two former educators, a principal and a teacher from a school for children with hearing impairments, sentencing them to five years imprisonment for sexually abusing minor students. The case, initiated by a deaf and mute 13-year-old girl in 2014, involved allegations of harassment and inappropriate touching by the principal and another teacher. The court acknowledged the challenges faced by the survivors in reporting the abuse, noting parental reluctance to disrupt education.

Despite key witnesses turning hostile, the court identified "clinching evidence" against the accused. The judge observed that the witnesses appeared influenced by the defense, stating, "This is an example of how prosecution witnesses are strategically influenced." The court also noted the accused's influence in procuring affidavits to withdraw the complaint, indicating their power within the community.

Crucially, the court emphasized the gravity of misusing a position of trust, especially concerning vulnerable, physically challenged students. "When this trust is betrayed by a godlike figure, the trauma lasts a lifetime," the judge remarked. The imposed sentence, while significant, was the minimum due to the defendants' advanced age and health conditions, reflecting a balance between punishment and their current circumstances.