Kendrapara, Dec. 20: A 45-year-old teacher of a government-run upper primary school in Jagatsinghpur district was arrested today for allegedly molesting a 12-year-old student on the school premises.

The accused has been identified as assistant teacher Ashok Kumar Lenka. The victim is a Class-VII student.

Lenka allegedly molested her in an empty classroom on December 17, police said. The traumatised girl later narrated the experience to her parents, who lodged a complaint with the police.

The accused was booked under IPC sections 354, 341, 342, 506 and sections 4 and 6 of Protection of Children from Sexual Offence Act, 2012.

In the past year, three teachers were arrested in separate incidents for committing sexual assault on students.