Machilipatnam (AP), Jan 24 (PTI) A 40-year-old government school teacher was taken into custody on Thursday evening for allegedly sexually assaulting an eight-year-old girl student at Agiripalli Elementary School in Krishna district, Andhra Pradesh, police said.

On Tuesday evening, the victim complained to her mother of physical pain and told her about the incident. Doctors in Nuzvid provided first aid to the girl and referred her to Vijayawada Hospital for further treatment.

The victim's mother on Thursday lodged a complaint at Agiripalli Police Station, following which the accused, K Venkateswara Rao, was arrested.

"Rao is in our custody. The investigation is on," said Agiripalli Sub-inspector V Esubu.

Cases under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and SC and ST Atrocity Act have been registered against Rao.

"The accused has been suspended from service with immediate effect. A departmental inquiry into the incident has also been ordered," said District Education Officer M V Rajya Lakshmi.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)