Bengaluru: POCSO accused teacher dies after jumping from SP office building

A 49-year-old teacher accused of sexually assaulting children died after jumping from the third floor of the Bengaluru South district Superintendent of Police's office complex, police said on Monday. The deceased was identified as Shashidhar, a native of Vijayanagara district. He worked as a physical education teacher at a private school in Channapatna taluk, they said.

The incident occurred at the Bengaluru South district Superintendent of Police's office complex in Ramanagara on Sunday, police said. A CCTV video also captured the act, in which he could be seen pushing a constable, running towards the railing and jumping from the third floor of the SP office complex, they added.

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According to police, the man was arrested on Saturday evening following a complaint accusing him of sexually assaulting several children at the school. Based on the complaint, a case was registered against him under the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act, and he was arrested, a senior police officer said. After undergoing a medical examination at a government hospital here, he was brought to the SP's office on Sunday as part of further procedures before being handed over to judicial custody, he said.

The accused was on the third floor of the building at the Measurement Collection Unit to record his fingerprints. While being escorted back to the police vehicle, he allegedly pushed away a constable who was accompanying him and jumped from the third floor of the building, the officer said. He sustained grievous injuries and was taken to the district hospital, where he died later, police said. Further investigation is underway.