JAGATSINGHPUR: The headmaster of a government primary school under Naugaon police limits was arrested on Saturday after several girl students accused him of sexual harassment.
The allegations surfaced after a Class VII girl contacted the Child Helpline 1098 and reported the sexual harassment on February 17. The following day, a team from the Women and Child Development department visited the school and enquired with 15 students, who confirmed the allegations.
The school has around 35 students, including 22 girls, from Class I to VII. The school has only four male teachers and does not have any female teaching staff. The girls alleged the headmaster continuously harassed them during assembly, notebook checks, and classroom interactions. They were afraid to inform the incident to their parents fearing social stigma, and informed it to the Child Helpline.
Subsequently, district child protection officer Kanhu Charan Rout submitted a detailed report, confirming the allegations. A team from the School and Mass Education department, led by district education officer Niranjan Behera and block education officer Kailash Chandra Padhi, visited the school and interacted with the students.
The headmaster was placed under suspension by the block education officer Kaliash Chandra Padhi on February 22. Padhi filed an FIR against the principal at Naugaon police station on Thursday, after which the principal was arrested. Apart from that, show cause notices have been issued to three other teachers of the school due to negligence and failing to take care of the students.
Inspector-in-charge of Naugaon police station Pradipta Kumar Kanungo stated that a case has been registered against the headmaster under multiple sections of the BNS and Section 12 of the POCSO Act.