NOAKHALI: A group of locals beat a madrasa teacher over allegations of sexually harassing a class 3 student in Begumganj upazila of Noakhali on Saturday.
 
The incident took place on the premises of a Hafizia madrasa this afternoon. The accused, Saiful Islam, is an assistant teacher at the madrasa, said Sub-Inspector Mehedi Hasan, in-charge of Rajganj Police Outpost under Begumganj Police Station.
 
SI Mehedi said the teacher allegedly molested the 10-year-old student when she went to the madrasa in the morning.
 
After classes ended around 1:00pm, the girl returned home and told her mother about the alleged sexual harassment. Her mother later informed locals about the matter. As the news spread, hundreds of men and women went to the madrasa, detained the teacher and beat him.
 
Police went at the scene after being informed and rescued the accused teacher, Mehedi said.
 
As the police team was escorting him to the police station, locals hurled brickbats at them and tried to obstruct them from taking him away. Several police personnel were injured in the incident, said the SI.
 
ANM Imran Khan, additional superintendent of police (Begumganj circle) in Noakhali, said the accused teacher is currently in police custody.
 
Citing the student's mother, he said the teacher had touched the girl inappropriately when she went to the madrasa in the morning. Preparations are underway to file a case.
 
Locals alleged that the teacher had done the same thing to other students several times before. They demanded a fair investigation and strict legal action against him.