Headmistress held for not reporting minor girl's molestation in school

Thane: The headmistress of a private school in Maharashtra's Thane district has been arrested for allegedly not informing police about the molestation of a 10-year-old girl by an unidentified man in the institution, an official said.

The incident took place on Tuesday morning in the school located in Mumbra area, the police said.

The victim, student of 5th standard, was alone in her classroom when the man, wearing a pair of shorts and a blue T-shirt, came there. He allegedly molested the girl and also flashed her, the official from Mumbra police station said.

The girl, who was frightened, raised an alarm following which the man left the place.

Hearing the commotion, the headmistress came there and enquired with the victim who informed about the incident, the official said.

As per the FIR, the headmistress was later seen talking to the culprit, who apparently informed her that he had come to drop the girl at the school.

The girl later informed about the incident to her parents, who complained to the police against the man and the school headmistress.

Based on the complaint, the headmistress was arrested for allegedly not reporting the incident to police, the official said.

A case was registered against the unidentified man under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the police said.

Search was on for the culprit, they added.