Ashwin expresses anguish after teacher arrested for sexual harassment

Chennai: Indian off-spinner R Ashwin, who is gearing up for Test tour of England, expressed anguish after arrest of a teacher of PSBB School here on charges of sexual harassment. Ashwin is an alumnus of the said school.

"Been a couple of disturbing nights, not only as an old student of PSBB but also as a father of 2 young girls. Rajagopalan (teacher accused) is one name that's come out today, but to stop such incidences all around us in the future, we need to act and need a complete overhaul of the system," tweeted Ashwin, who is only one of three Indian spinners to take 400 wickets.

In a note which he attached with the tweet, he said, "So heart breaking to hear about stories coming out from schools in and around Chennai, especially from PSBB concerning Rajagopal, have never known him in all those years of studying there but deeply disturbed about the news."

Ashwin wrote in the note further, "I know justice and law will take its course, but this is the time for people to come clean and revisit the existing system. These are times of deep distress and we need to understand that we have left our children with no choice but to vent out on social media."

According to reports, the teacher accused of sexual harassment was sent to judicial custody. An alumnus of the school shared screenshots of students sharing their ordeals. One of the screenshots showed the teacher topless with only a cloth around his neck.

"We need to create an ecosystem that encourages the children to report the smallest of incidences that make them feel unsafe, without the fear of being targeted for grades and beyond. Our children are our wealth!," wrote Ashwin further.

"Education is important but not everything. Let's enable our children to retain their innocence and give their childhood the sanctum it deserves," he added.

Ashwin departs for England on June 2 with the Indian team on a charter flight.