Kaithal school horror: Contractor booked for harassing girls

Tribune News Service

Parveen Arora

Kaithal, December 8

After the arrest of the principal of a government senior secondary school at a village in Kaithal district for sexual harassment of girl students, the police have now booked a construction contractor, who was hired by the school authorities for some work, for the same offence.

Used to sit with principal

• The contractor, whose name has not been disclosed, is at large and the police are conducting raids to nab him
• Girl students alleged that he used to sit with the principal and girls were forced to serve lunch to them

The contractor, whose name has not been disclosed, is at large and the police are conducting raids to nab him. The case was registered after two girl students, who recorded their testimonies under Section 164 of the CrPC before a magistrate, accused him of staring at them with bad intentions, said an official.

The girls alleged that the contractor used to sit with the principal in his office, where both of them had lunch together and girl students were forced to serve lunch and water to them. The contractor was also accused of coming to their classrooms without any reason frequently, the official said.

“After the statements of the two students before the magistrate, we have booked the contractor in this case under Section 10 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 354-A (sexual harassment) of the IPC. Our team members are conducting raids at different places to nab the accused,” said Upasana, Superintendent of Police (SP), Kaithal.

“We are monitoring the case from all angles. Internal complaint committees in schools are being sensitised to keep vigil on such cases. Two women officials —Inspector Geeta and the SHO of the women police station — are making efforts under a special campaign to sensitise the girl students to good touch and bad touch. We will ensure that the victims get justice and the culprits are punished,” said the SP.

Meanwhile, a special investigation team, led by Guhla DSP Kuldeep Beniwal, visited the school on Thursday and enquired about the incident. The team spoke to students, teachers and parents.

According to sources, several other students of various classes also levelled allegations of rude behaviour against the principal. However, they did not submit a written statement.

Parents also alleged that their wards told them that the behaviour of the principal was not good.

Earlier, four girl students of the school had accused principal Ravi Kumar of sexual harassment following which the police had registered a case against him under Section 10 of the POCSO Act and Sections 354 and 354 A of the IPC on December 6. He was arrested on December 7. He was suspended by the department on Thursday evening.

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