Dehradun, Oct. 25 -- A physics teacher at a private school in Dehradun recently sacked after a total of 15 female students accused him of molesting them was charged under the Pocso Act on Saturday, police said. "We have registered an FIR based on the complaint of a Class 11 student. We have begun a probe and taken her statement," said Dehradun city SP Shekhar Suyal. The school's principal told reporters that she acted promptly on the student's complaint and sacked the teacher. "After the matter came to our light on October 15, we referred it to the school's POCSO committee. Even though the allegations were not conclusively proven, we dismissed the teacher keeping the welfare of the students in mind," she said. The Class 11 complainant, however, alleged to reporters that school authorities failed to treat the matter sensitively and also tried to downplay the issue. "School officials asked me to demonstrate how he touched us. When I refused and stated I would only detail it in court, they asked, 'Doesn't your father touch you?'" she said. "When my mother came to school to complain, they assured her that the teacher had been dismissed and that I was safe," she added. The student's mother backed her allegations. "When I complained to the principal, she questioned all the girls. They informed us that the teacher would be sacked and assured me of my daughter's safety. However, the next day, the school director called my daughter and asked her to demonstrate on him how she was touched, right in front of the principal, who is a wo- man. When my daughter objected to this, she was told that she was lying, that no other girl would support her, and also accused of pressurized the others into signing the complaint," she said. SP Suyal said they will examine the allegations. Police said 14 others signed her complaint. City magistrate Rakesh Tiwari said that the students were initially reluctant to come forward until the Child Welfare Committee took the matter up. The accused has denied the allegations. "It is for the first time in my 25-year career that someone has levelled such charges against me. I treat my students as my children. I have never held any ill intentions toward anyone. If any child feels that I have committed a mistake, I sincerely seek their forgiveness," he said. htc...