Kasaragod: Two non-teaching staff members at a special school here have been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl student with a 40 per cent visual impairment, police said on Tuesday.

The accused have been identified as Fousiya (43), a cook at the school and a resident of Edneer in Badiadka panchayat, and Shafeer K M (51), a cleaning staff member from Chala in Kasaragod town.

Fousiya has been booked under Sections 5 and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for aggravated penetrative sexual assault, along with Section 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for criminal intimidation.

Shafeer faces charges under Sections 9 and 10 of the POCSO Act for aggravated sexual assault, Section 351(2) of the BNS for criminal intimidation, and Section 75 of the BNS for sexual harassment.

Both were arrested and remanded to judicial custody on Tuesday, said sub-inspector Ajitha K, Vanitha Police Station House Officer. Police said the abuse began in September last year and continued on multiple occasions. Shafeer allegedly inappropriately touched the girl at least once, while Fousiya is accused of committing penetrative sexual assault several times.

Investigators further revealed that the two accused allegedly engaged in sexual intercourse in the presence of the child victim. The case came to light during a holiday when the girl confided in her mother about the sexual assault at school. The mother informed the authorities and contacted Childline for assistance.

Following counselling sessions for the child, disturbing details of the repeated abuse emerged. Childline staff submitted a detailed report to the police, leading to the registration of cases under the POCSO Act and the subsequent arrest of the accused.