A 15-year-old Class 10 student at a private girls’ inter college in Gorakhpur’s Gola area has alleged that a 29-year-old teacher, identified as Prateek Tripathi and reportedly the son of the school manager, sexually assaulted her repeatedly over four months.
According to her complaint, Tripathi allegedly summoned her to his office after school hours, threatened to fail her in examinations when she resisted, and later allegedly used promises of helping fund her higher education to maintain contact with her.
Police have registered an FIR under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and launched a search for the accused, who is reportedly absconding.
The case came to wider attention after an audio recording of an alleged conversation between the teenager and Tripathi was circulated online. Police-linked reports say the teenager was deeply distressed after the alleged circulation and attempted to take her own life.
Her family subsequently approached Gola police, with her grandfather accompanying her to lodge the complaint. Gola Circle Officer Darvesh Kumar confirmed the FIR, saying, “An FIR has been registered based on the complaint under r@pe and POCSO Act sections.” The allegations are under investigation, and the authenticity or context of the circulating audio has not been independently established.
Teacher Allegedly Used Education As Leverage
According to the complaint, the alleged abuse began around four months before the FIR was registered. Tripathi allegedly called the Class 10 student to his office cabin after school hours when she was alone and allegedly molested her.
When she resisted, he reportedly threatened to fail her in her examinations and allegedly warned that he would publicly defame her. The complaint further alleges that the teacher subsequently sexually assaulted her and obtained her mobile number, allowing him to remain in contact with her.
Over the following months, he allegedly continued to pressure her while offering promises linked to her education. Reports based on the complaint state that he allegedly told her he would help her secure admission to a school in Gorakhpur city, arrange accommodation for her and bear her educational expenses.
The alleged use of academic consequences and promises of financial support is significant because Tripathi was reportedly both her teacher and the son of the school’s manager. The teenager’s father works in Mumbai, while she lives with her mother and younger sister in their village.
These circumstances, according to the complaint, placed her in a potentially vulnerable position in relation to someone who held authority within her educational environment.
Viral Audio Escalates The Case
The situation reportedly escalated after the teenager refused to meet Tripathi again. According to police-linked reports, the accused allegedly circulated an audio recording of a phone conversation involving the student online. The alleged recording subsequently spread on social media, bringing the matter to wider public attention.
Local reports have carried differing descriptions of the recording, while at least one report noted that the identity of the voices and the authenticity of the audio had not been independently established and that investigators were examining whether it had been edited.
The alleged circulation reportedly caused severe distress to the teenager. Police-linked accounts say she attempted to take her own life after the recording became public. Her family later learned about the alleged abuse and approached Gola police.
The girl’s grandfather reportedly accompanied her to the police station, where a formal complaint was lodged. Police have since registered the FIR under relevant BNS provisions and the POCSO Act and launched efforts to locate Tripathi. Officials have said the accused is being searched for and that the allegations and available evidence will be investigated.
Police are expected to examine the teenager’s statement, communications, call records and other digital evidence as part of the investigation. Since the complainant is a minor, her identity and any material that could reveal it must be protected.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The allegations from Gorakhpur are a disturbing reminder of why children must be able to learn in environments where they feel safe, respected and protected from abuse of authority. Educational institutions are spaces of trust, and that trust carries an even greater responsibility when teachers interact with minors. At the same time, an allegation however serious must be investigated fairly, with the survivor’s dignity and privacy protected and the accused receiving due process under the law.
The reported circulation of an audio recording also highlights the dangers of sharing unverified or private material involving a minor online; digital platforms can amplify harm long after an incident has occurred. What matters now is a prompt, sensitive and impartial investigation, accountability if the allegations are proved, and meaningful support for the teenager and her family.
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