POCSO accused as guest at TVM school reopening; Minister orders probe

Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala General Education Department on Tuesday ordered an inquiry into the participation of a man accused under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act at a school reopening ceremony held in the state capital.

According to media reports, the accused, who is also a popular vlogger, attended the event as a celebrity guest during the "Praveshanotsavam"—the ceremonial reopening of schools after the summer break—at a state-run institution in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday.

Following the emergence of the reports, General Education Minister V Sivankutty sought an explanation from the concerned officials. A statement from the minister's office said that the Deputy Director of Education in the district has been directed to conduct an immediate probe into the incident and submit a detailed report.

The "Praveshanotsavam" is a state-wide initiative organised annually by the Kerala government to mark the reopening of schools and to warmly welcome students back after the two-month-long summer vacation. This year, the event was celebrated as a grand affair across Kerala. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurated the state-level function at a school in Alappuzha.

With PTI inputs