Kaithal principal ‘touched’ girl students inappropriately

Tribune News Service

Parveen Arora

Kaithal, December 7

It has come to the fore during investigation by a team constituted by the Education Department, and a parallel inquiry conducted by an eight-member committee of the Haryana Vidyalaya Adhyapak Sangh that Ravi Kumar (52), principal of a Kaithal school, was allegedly in a habit of misbehaving with students and teachers.

Number could be higher

I spoke to several girls from classes VI, VII, VIII, XI and XII, and a majority of them said the principal was foul-mouthed and misbehaved with girl students. Sangeeta, member of Haryana Vidyalaya Adhyapak Sangh team

The teams visited the school today and talked to students and teachers. After the incident came to light, District Education Officer Ravinder Chaudhary constituted a five-member team, led by Block Education Officer (BEO) Sanjay Sharma, to inquire into the matter. The team submitted its report today after recording the statements of students, teachers, and parents.

However, the DEO did not disclose the findings of the report. “I cannot disclose the findings. Students have levelled allegations of sexual harassment against the principal. We have recorded their statements,” he said.

As per sources in the department, the team found that the principal would routinely misbehave with students and teachers. “Girl students told the team that the principal used to touch them inappropriately and made vulgar remarks. He used to talk rudely to teachers,” said an official, who had read the report.

The accused had joined the school on September 13, 2022, and his behaviour with teachers and students was not good. He would scold them for small errors and insulted them in front of others, a teacher claimed.

The sangh committee hinted that the number of victims could be high as they had spoken to some other students of various classes. The girls also claimed that he had threatened the students not to reveal his misconduct to anyone. Kanwarjeet Singh, state secretary of the sangh, said the principal had tarnished the image of the department.

“The Education Department should terminate his services and cancel benefits,” said Vijender Mor, district president of the sangh.

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