Pocso case: Kalaburagi residential school principal, computer operator held

Police have arrested the principal and computer operator of the government residential school at Kunchavaram village in Chincholi taluk of Kalaburagi district on charges of sexual harassment of girl students.

A case has been registered against principal Chetan Reddy and computer operator Sangamesh under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act.

As many as 90 girl students from surrounding villages and lambani thandas have been studying in class 8 to 10 in the school.

Around 10 students had complained that the two had been perpetrating sexual and mental harassment on them.

The students alleged that the principal used to discriminate against them if they resisted his sexual advances.

Based on their charges, the police and the social welfare department registered complaints against them on Monday and enquired with the girl students. The police finally arrested them on Tuesday.

"The principal has been working in the school for the last one year. We enquired with the students after registering complaints against the duo. We will take necessary steps to safeguard the interests of the students," social welfare department assistant director Prabhuling Wali told Deccan Herald.

The parents and members of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike staged protests outside the residential school, demanding stringent action against the suspects.

Gulbarga Lok Sabha member Umesh Jadhav and deputy commissioner Yashwant Gurikar visited the residential school on Tuesday.

Gurikar told reporters that both the arrested persons had been remanded in judicial custody and suspended from duty.

He said officials of the social welfare department had been told to depute a woman principal from another school, besides deputing a female warden and female computer operator to the residential school.