School principal thrashed after girl alleges molestation

KAPURTHALA: Principal of Government Senior Secondary School, Fattu Dhinga, 16 kilometres from the district headquarters, was beaten up by angry villagers on Tuesday after he allegedly molested a Class-8 student on the school campus, police said.

The police rescued the accused and rushed him to the Fattu Dhinga village civil hospital from where doctors referred him to a Kapurthala hospital as he has received serious head injuries.

On the complaint of the victim, a case under Section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POSCO) has been registered against principal Gurcharan Singh Multani, who was earlier posted as the Kapurthala district education officer.

Station house officer Parminder Singh said the police are yet to record the statement of the principal, who is undergoing treatment at the Kapurthala civil hospital.

The victim alleged that the principal used to call her to his office and molest her. She first narrated the incident to a female teacher, who later informed her parents, said the SHO.

“The victim’s parents, family friends and their neighbours went to school where the principal misbehaved with them. Following this, they thrashed him,” said the SHO.

However, Gurcharan refuted the allegations saying the girl was like a daughter to him. “Some people are trying to malign my image as I had filed a complaint against them for creating ruckus on the school premises a few days ago,” the principal said.