Over 50 female students from government run school in Jind district accussed their principal of sexual harassment,according to Haryana State Commission for Woman.
They had sent the initial complaints from a few female students to the police on September 14,but the action was only taken on late October 30
Months after students in senior secondary classes accussed the principal of the government run girls school of molesting and threatening them in his cabin in a letter to the State Commission of Women, he was sent a suspension letter .
The students reported that the principal would call them in his cabin, which had tinted glasses to block the view from outside, and touch them inappropriately. And would also threaten to fail them if they resisted.
On Monday,the55-year-old school principal was booked by the Haryana Police after being suspended by the Jind administration.
The victims were reported to be minors who alleged that the principal would call them and engage in obscene acts.
Renu Bhatia who is the chairperson of the State Commission of Woman revealed that they recieved 60 written letters from female students from which 50 were described with physical abuse by the accuse.The other ten reported their awareness to the principal’s behaviour.
The police was criticized for their lack of expeditious actions by the Commission and were questioned in delay of principal’s arrest after the FIR was registered.
On Thursday, during a press conference in Panchkula chairperson Bhatia ,said ,”We have received calls from the girls, informing us that they are being pressured to withdraw the complaints.”
She further explained the commission has found that the principal used to chat and send obscene messages from five different mobile.
She said, “All the victims are minors and I will be meeting them on November 14.”
“Fifty girls have approached the commission saying that they have been sexually assaulted by the principal while 10 girls had claimed that they are victims but are aware of sexual harassment of their schoolmates,” she added.
Bhatia further said that similar complaints had also been received from two other places where he was posted earlier.
The accused principal had reportedly maintained secretive communication with the girls via hidden mobile phones and had installed a tinted door in his office, adding to the suspicion surrounding his activities.
It was discovered that the principal had history of delinquency along with complaints of misbehavior with female students at the two other previous schools where he was posted.
One of the victims told the commission in a letter that the principal used to call the students to his office and inappropriately touch them.
If they resisted, he used to threaten to “fail” them, another student said. A third student had claimed the principal had told her he would complain to her parents that she does not attend school.
Bhatia said the students, had further claimed that a female teacher, who was purportedly close to the principal, used to act as his aide and send them to his office. “The windows of the principal’s office were covered with a thick black film,” she added.
“A woman teacher sends girls to meet the principal in his room. The principal touches the girl inappropriately and also talks in filthy language.”one of the girls said in a complaint.
One of the students, in her letter, told the commission that a girl student had even complained about his behavior but ended up leaving the school.
Earlier, on October 27,the Jind district administration said that the principal was suspended by Haryana Government ) ,354-A (sexual harassment) and 342 (wrongful confinement) of the Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act, said SHO of the police station under whose jurisdiction the school falls.
Earlier,on October 27,the Jind district administration said that the principal was suspended by Haryana Goverment.
According to the PTI,a group of female students sent letters to the Prime Minister’s Office and National Commission for Women detailing their traumatic experience.
Source: Ndtv
Article by Sanjana from Mumbai for True to Life
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