Digboi: Tensions ran high in Pengaree Brahmajan under Digboi police station in Assam’s Tinsukia district on Saturday afternoon after a well-respected headmaster of a school was arrested under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Brahmajan ME school headmaster Tanka Newar was arrested under the POCSO Act on Thursday prompting an unusual protest from students, guardians, and staff members of his school.
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According to witnesses, hundreds of students in their school uniforms gathered outside the police station, chanting slogans demanding Newar’s release. The students, many of them minors, also spontaneously addressed the media on school grounds, expressing disbelief over the allegations.
“He has always treated us like his own children. We cannot believe the allegations,” one student said, speaking on the condition of anonymity. Other students and staff members echoed this sentiment, describing Newar as a “kind and disciplined mentor” with a long, unblemished record.
One school cook, speaking anonymously, recounted seeing the alleged victim in the headmaster’s office, complaining of a stomach ache on the morning the incident reportedly occurred. The cook added that Newar was known for personally taking sick students to a nearby pharmacy for treatment.
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Newar, who has served the school for over 25 years, has received multiple awards for academic leadership. Parents, guardians, and members of the school management committee have also expressed their support, crediting him with significantly improving the school’s performance and discipline.
In response to the arrest, the school management held an emergency meeting to reassure parents that safety protocols were a top priority and that they would cooperate with the investigation. They also stated their confidence that Newar would be proven innocent.
Police sources confirmed that Newar is being held in custody in accordance with POCSO Act procedures. “The matter is under investigation. We request the public to avoid speculation and allow the legal process to take its course,” a police official stated.
Newar was produced before a court on Saturday afternoon.