A 49-year-old physical education teacher, who was arrested in Karnataka in connection with a case registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, died after jumping from the third floor of a police office complex in Ramanagara on Sunday.
According to police, the incident took place at the Bengaluru South district Superintendent of Police's office complex. The man, who was originally from Vijayanagara district, worked as a physical education teacher at a private school in Channapatna taluk.
Police said the teacher was arrested on Saturday evening after a complaint was filed accusing him of sexually assaulting several children at the school. A case was registered against him under the POCSO Act and he was taken into custody.
After his arrest, the accused was taken to a government hospital in Bengaluru for a medical examination. He was later brought to the SP office complex as part of the procedures that had to be completed before he was sent to judicial custody.
The incident occurred while the accused was in the Measurement Collection Unit on the third floor of the building for fingerprint recording. Police said that after the process was completed, he was being escorted back towards the police vehicle when he allegedly pushed away a constable and ran towards the railing.
He then jumped from the third floor, according to the police.
A CCTV camera at the premises reportedly captured the incident. The footage showed the accused pushing a constable before running towards the railing and jumping from the building.
The man suffered serious injuries in the fall. Police personnel immediately took him to the district hospital for treatment. However, he later died from his injuries, police said.
The death occurred a day after his arrest in the POCSO case. Police are continuing their investigation into the circumstances surrounding both the original allegations and the incident at the SP office complex.
The POCSO case was registered following allegations that the teacher had sexually assaulted several children at the private school where he worked. Since the allegations form part of an ongoing criminal investigation, the claims against the deceased had not been adjudicated by a court at the time of his death.
Authorities are also examining the CCTV footage and other available evidence to establish the sequence of events leading up to the fall. Further details are expected as the investigation progresses.
The incident has brought attention to security and custodial procedures inside police premises, particularly during the movement of an accused person who is under police supervision. The police are expected to examine how the accused managed to reach the railing despite being escorted by personnel.
Further investigation into the case is underway.
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