MP principal held after 8 students complain of sexual harassment

POLICE SAY THAT THE 3 OTHERS BOOKED IN THE CASE ARE ABSCONDING

The Madhya Pradesh police on Sunday arrested the principal of a missionary school in Dindori district and launched a search operation for three others, after eight students accused them of sexual harassment, officials familiar with the matter said.

School principal Nan Singh and teacher Khemchand were booked on Saturday night under section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the Indian Penal Code, provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, Dindori superintendent of police Sanjay Singh told news agency PTI.

“The caretaker of the school, Father Sunny, has been booked for overlooking the complaints of the girls, while the nun (35) has been charged with beating up the girls. Only the principal has been arrested so far,” he added.

The matter came to light when a team from the child welfare committee and State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (SCPCR) inspected the hostel where 600 students of the school are residing.

“When we visited the hostel, which is located in a forest, we found the students in a very bad condition. During a discussion, eight students of class 6 to 12 informed us that the principal and teacher used to touch their body parts by calling them alone in the classroom. They used to say obscene words to the girls. They said this was going on for the past many years. Some boys also hinted at harassment but they didn’t reveal much,” SCPCR member Omkar Singh said.

HT tried to reach out to the school for a comment, but couldn’t get it immediately.