MALKANGIRI : Protest rocked the campus of Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS), Malkangiri on Tuesday after a girl student accused a teacher of sexual harassment.
Tension flared up on the school premises as students staged dharna demanding justice for the victim and action against the accused teacher. The agitators alleged that in December last year, five students including four girls and the teacher had gone to Mayurbhanj to attend practice sessions for kabaddi and kho kho ahead of a sports competition in Karnataka.
When the Karnataka event was cancelled, the students accompanied by the accused teacher returned to Malkangiri by train after spending around 15 days in Mayurbhanj. While travelling in the train, the teacher allegedly molested one of the girl students. Initially, the victim girl did not inform anyone about the incident out of fear. However, she gathered courage and disclosed the matter before her classmates on the day. As the news spread among the students, protest broke out on the campus.
On being informed, police rushed to the campus and held discussion with the agitating students. Malkangiri Model IIC Rigan Kindo said police are waiting for an FIR to be lodged in this connection after which investigation will start. The accused teacher has absconded after the protest.
Malkangiri collector Sachin Pawar said the district welfare officer (DWO) visited the school and launched a probe. If the allegations are found to be true, the guilty would not be spared.
DWO Prafulla Kumar Bhujabala said inquiry is underway and a report would be submitted to the district collector soon.