Head of society running Adarsh schools booked

A case sexual harassment was registered against the chairman of a welfare society that runs Adarsh schools at Pacca and Middumaan villages, on the complaint of women staffers of the said schools.

Chairman of Sukhsagar Avenue Welfare Association Narinder Singh Randhwan has been booked under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 341 (punishment for wrongful restraint), 294 (punishment for obscene acts or words in public) and 295A (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings or any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) of the IPC.

Sukhsagar Avenue Welfare Association was given the administration of the three schools by the Punjab government under the public private partnership mode four months ago.

A complaint was lodged with the deputy commissioner’s (DC) office by some teachers, after which the DC marked an inquiry to Faridkot sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Hardip Singh. The SDM submitted a report stating that the Randhwan was not managing the schools properly and the administration should take back the control of schools from him. He also corroborated the allegations of the complainants that Randhwan misbehaved with them.

As per reports, Randhwan also misbehaved with chief judicial magistrate Kapil Dev Singla, who too had complained to Faridkot DC, demanding a stringent action against Randhwan.

It was alleged that Randhwan sexually harassed women teachers of Adarsh School at Pacca village. When the teachers resisted his behaviour, he transferred four women teachers to another Adarsh School.

Police said that they were conducting raids to nab the accused. “A case has been registered. Police teams are conducting raids to arrest the accused,” said Kotkapura station house officer Paramjit Singh.