Parents and local residents handed over a primary school teacher to police over allegations of sexually abusing students in Mirzapur upazila of Tangail on Monday.
The accused, Tapan Sarkar, is an assistant teacher at Notun Kehlah Government Primary School, where he teaches English and mathematics.
Parents and local residents alleged that Tapan had been sexually abusing young students for a long time. The allegations came to light recently after some of the victims informed their parents, triggering widespread outrage in the area.
On the day, angry parents and local residents gathered at the school, demanding justice. Hundreds of people soon assembled on the premises and staged protests against the teacher.
As tensions escalated, Tapan allegedly collapsed to the ground and pretended to lose consciousness in an apparent attempt to evade the angry crowd.
Eyewitnesses said he appeared lifeless, as though he had suffered a stroke or lost consciousness.
On receiving the information, police and an assistant upazila education officer rushed to the scene. The teacher was subsequently taken into police custody with the help of local residents.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage, with parents and local residents demanding strict punishment and the teacher's permanent dismissal from service.
Upazila Assistant Education Officer Sharmistha Rani Majumder said they rushed to the school after receiving the news. She said the accused had admitted his involvement in the incident both verbally and in writing, adding that the education office would take appropriate action against him.
Mirzapur police station Sub-Inspector Dadan said police had taken the teacher into custody from the scene. Legal action would be taken based on the written complaint, he added.