Maharashtra: Sports teacher held for raping minor student

A 43-year-old sports teacher has been arrested for allegedly raping a class nine student in Maharashtra's Beed district, police said on Thursday.

The Ambejogai police on Wednesday arrested Shyam Digamber Waarkad, who works as a sports teacher at a local school, an official said. The incident took place on October 27, when the accused took two girls from the school for a sports meet in Jalna district, he said.

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Later, on the pretext of taking her out for lunch, Waarkad molested the victim in his car, the official added. While driving down to Ambajogai after the competition, the accused first dropped the other student home and later allegedly raped the victim in the car, the official said.

The accused also threatened the victim with dire consequences if she told anyone about the incident, he added. When the victim's parents noticed a change in her behaviour and questioned her on several occasions, the minor confided in them, following which a complaint was lodged against the accused on Wednesday.

A case has been registered against Waarkad under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, he said.

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