Chennai:
A male school teacher in Tamil Nadu’s Dharmapuri district has been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a girl student after connecting with her on Instagramm police said.
The case has once again raised concerns around children’s access to social media.
Police said the teacher, who works at a private school, established contact with the student through Instagram and allegedly lured her before sexually abusing her during visits to her home.
The teacher has been arrested under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
“We are investigating since when this was happening. Since the student is a minor, it is a clear case of violation and the question of consent does not come in at all,” a police officer told NDTV.
The case has also renewed calls from child rights activists in India for stronger safeguards, including age restrictions and parental controls for children accessing social media platforms.
Child rights activist Ramya Sriram said children need age-appropriate restrictions and safer access to social media, but cautioned against making the child’s presence on Instagram the focus of the discussion.
“Of course, I believe there should be some age-appropriate restrictions on social media for young children. They are still growing, they are still learning about trust and boundaries, and they may not always understand when someone is trying to take advantage of them,” she said.
But she stressed that such restrictions should not lead to victim-blaming, saying children could also be given access through parental accounts and supervision.
Sriram said the more serious concern in this case was the alleged crossing of boundaries by a trusted adult.
“A teacher has a responsibility to maintain a clear boundary with a student. If that boundary is crossed, the responsibility lies with the adult, not the child,” she said.
She pointed out that children may not recognise because they see the teacher as someone they know and trust. “An adult knows the difference,” she said.
Sriram said schools should have clear rules governing private communication between teachers and students, while platforms, parents and teachers must do more to promote online safety.
Children, she said, should also feel safe reporting uncomfortable interactions without fear of being blamed or punished.
“Why did a trusted adult cross a boundary with a child? That’s where the responsibility has to lie,” she said.
Several countries have already introduced restrictions on children’s social media use. Australia and Indonesia have restricted social media access for children under 16, while the European Union is considering a broader framework.
Under proposals being considered in the EU, children under 13 would be barred from accessing social media platforms, while those aged 13 to 15 would face tighter restrictions and parental controls. The European Commission has also proposed requiring platforms to demonstrate that they are safe by design.
Meta, which owns Instagram, has faced similar child-safety and privacy allegations in court proceedings in the US. The company has denied the states’ allegations and rejected the suggestion that it deliberately designed its platforms to harm or addict children.
Meta has argued that the states are presenting evidence selectively and taking internal discussions out of context. The company has also pointed to safety measures introduced for young users and its efforts to remove accounts belonging to children below 13.
Another child rights activist, Padam Narayanan, stressed the need for greater awareness among children, parents and teachers about online safety. He also called for strengthening existing child helplines so that children feel encouraged and supported to come forward and report abuse.
The Dharmapuri arrest comes amid a political debate in Tamil Nadu over crimes against women, with the Opposition targeting the ruling TVK government over what it describes as a rise in crimes against women, including sexual offences.
Crime against women, including sexual offences, had also emerged as a key poll issue ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, which saw TVK emerge as the single largest party and form the government.
The TVK government has launched a dedicated women’s police force, SingaPenn, aimed at addressing crimes against women.
Chief Minister Vijay recently told the Assembly that the roots of some of the problems, including drug abuse, predated his government. He attributed the situation to failures of the previous DMK rule and said his government would need time to address problems that had accumulated over several years.
