Kozhikode: A 43-year-old high school teacher was arrested for allegedly sexually misbehaving with eight Class 10 students during a school trip to Kodaikanal.

The arrested teacher, identified as Salith, is a native of Kuttiady in Kozhikode district and works as an Urdu teacher at PVS High School, Ambalappadi, near Elathur.

Salith had been absconding after eight students approached the Elathur police with complaints following their return from the trip. After the Sessions Court and the Kerala High Court rejected his bail pleas, he surrendered before the Elathur police on Tuesday.

According to the police, 160 students from the school went on a recreational trip to Kodaikanal on September 24 and returned on September 27. The girls and boys travelled in separate buses, and the accused teacher was travelling in the bus carrying the girls.

After returning from the trip, the students first reported the alleged incidents to the school's headmaster, who subsequently informed the police. The police then recorded statements from the students.

On the first day, seven students lodged complaints against the teacher, while another student approached the police with a similar complaint the following day. The police registered eight separate cases based on the complaints.

Following the registration of the cases, the teacher went absconding. The police received information that he was hiding in Wayanad district. As the accused had approached the court seeking relief, the police were awaiting the court's decision before proceeding with his arrest.

According to the police, the students decided to report the incidents after feeling uncomfortable with the teacher's alleged behaviour towards them. All eight complainants are Class 10 students.