Aligarh principal arrested for sexually assaulting, proposing marriage to 11-year-old; suspended amid probe

The principal allegedly threatened to fail her in exams when the girl resisted his advances and even proposed her for marriage.

Authorities in Uttar Pradesh's Aligarh have arrested a government school principal following allegations of sexual misconduct involving an 11-year-old student.

The accused has also been suspended from his position.

The principal was taken into custody after being accused of sexually assaulting a class 7 student and then asking her to marry her, the police said, as per a Times of India report. An FIR has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

According to DSP Rajiv Dwivedi of Atrauli, the 50-year-old principal allegedly assaulted the student and threatened to fail her in exams when she resisted. The victim later informed her mother about her ordeal, who approached the education department and filed a formal complaint. 

The statement by the survivor's mother said that her daughter returned home on August 23 seemingly upset and lethargic. Upon asking, she disclosed what the principal had done. The girl, in dismay, broke down while recounting the incident and said that the principal even told her that he wants to marry her.

Following the complaint, the block education officer conducted a preliminary inquiry and found the principal prima facie guilty, resulting in his suspension. He has been sent to jail, and the student has undergone a medical examination.

Basic Shiksha Adhikari Dr. Rakesh Singh confirmed to the publication that a departmental investigation is being conducted alongside the police probe. Authorities said further action will depend on the ongoing investigation and the findings of both inquiries.