Nabarangpur: The Nabarangpur district education officer (DEO) has suspended the headmaster of a high school after 45 students left the hostel alleging torture at the hands of the teacher and accusing him of engaging them as domestic help. DEO Pradip Kumar Nag suspended Harendra Kumar Behera, headmaster of Government Upgraded High School at Bargaon under Koshagumuda block in this district. The matter came to the fore after the DEO issued a letter-4187 in this regard, Thursday.
After his suspension, Behera has been asked to report to the Government High School at Koshagumuda daily and register his attendance. Assistant teacher Narayan Prasad Giri of the Government Upgraded High School at Bargaon has been appointed as the headmaster (in-charge). Reports said that the concerned high school has a 100-bed hostel. Among the inmates, about 45 students alleging various problems left the hostel. They alleged that the teachers are engaging them as domestic help by involving them in their personal work. The teachers are even asking them to massage their bodies and to wash their bikes and scooters, they alleged. Despite several complaints, no action has been taken in this regard. Left with no option, they finally left the hostel without informing anybody. The DEO taking cognizance of the matter suspended the headmaster.