BALIK PULAU: A religious teacher was arrested yesterday after several police reports were lodged against him for allegedly molesting his pupils.
The 40-year-old man was picked up at the southwest district education office by a team of police about 10am.
Southwest district police chief Superintendent A. A. Anbalagan said police have received a total of six reports against the man.
“Five of the reports are for molesting four Year Five and a Year Four boys.
“The sixth report is for attempting to molest another Year Five boy,” he told newsmen today.
Anbalagan said the first report was lodged by the mother of one of the boys last Wednesday, after she was told by her son that the teacher had fondled his private parts during lesson in class.
“At the time of the incident, the victim was asked by the suspect to recite the al-Quran, and while the boy was standing near his table, the suspect touched the outside of his private parts.
“The victim told his mother that the teacher had resorted to similar actions since April 2017 and the latest was last Monday.
“The victim also revealed that several of his friends were also sexually assaulted by the same teacher,” he said, adding that this prompted the mother to lodge the report.
Anbalagan said the other reports showed the victims were fondled in their classrooms, in the surau and after school hours.
Anbalagan said investigation showed the suspect is married with five children.
“He has been teaching religious lessons at the school since 2014,” he added.
The suspect has been remanded for seven days to assist in investigation.
The case is being investigated under Section 14 of the Sexual Offences Against Children Act 2017.