Rourkela: The headmaster of Balisankara Higher Secondary School was suspended after several girl students along with their parents Friday staged a road blockade near Chandini chhak on Balisankara-Chhattisgarh road alleging sexual harassment.
The girls of classes IX and X had complained to the District Welfare Officer Pabitra Mohan Pradhan over phone about the misdemeanour of the headmaster Pramod Nayak alleging that he used to make objectionable gestures and obscene remarks at them and subjected them to sexual harassment. “The girls complained that he was making improper comments on their dress, touching them inappropriately with bad intention and using filthy language,” the DWO said. It is learnt that the girls had earlier brought this to the notice of other teachers and the block education officer. However, no step was allegedly taken regarding their grievances.
Finally, the girl students took out a protest rally and walked nearly 2 km from their school along with their parents and staged a roadblock, which led to severe traffic snarls.
Despite rain, the students sat on the road holding posters in protest. They also filed an FIR at the Talsara police station. Talsara police, local BDO, tehsildar and other officials reached the spot and tried to pacify the students but to no avail. The students were demanding the suspension of the headmaster and written assurance of exemplary action by the District Collector. Admitting that he had received the information from the students three days back, the DWO said, “We assured the students that a proper enquiry will be held as per the rule.” “There is a smartphone in every girls’ school. They could have informed the government but they did not do that and instead informed me. I am taking steps based on their allegation,” he added. The DWO said he would prepare his enquiry report after having a thorough discussion with students, teachers and also the cooks and other staff of the school. It is pertinent here to mention that the previous headmaster of the school had also been transferred over the same allegation two years back and the accused headmaster Nayak came as his replacement.
RAJESH MOHANTY, OP