Paramedical college sealed following abuse complaint

VILLUPURAM: Following a complaint of abuse lodged by the students of a paramedical studies institute, the institute was sealed on Saturday following an inspection. The institute reportedly did not have approval. The principal was arrested and a hunt was on for the correspondent, who is the principal’s husband.

Girls studying at the institute, which was functioning at Sankarapuram for the past eight years, had approached the collectorate with a complaint that the college correspondent, identified as one Kalaimani, lured in girls from impoverished background with promise of free education. He used to grope and misbehave with them during classes and force them to serve as home nurses in abusive households for four months of mandatory ‘internship’. The correspondent would also levy a sum of `15,000 from the girls, by withholding their salary of four months.

Kallakurichi revenue division officer Malliga, tahsildar Ilangovan and others had undertaken an inquiry. Upon finding that the college did not have approval, it was sealed. A case was filed by the Sankarapuram police and principal Sathya (28) was arrested by night. Her husband Kalaimani, who according to the victims groped them regularly in full view of the class, is absconding.