Hyderabad: The principal of a primary government school in Telengana was arrested Wednesday. It has been alleged that the principal has repeatedly sexually exploited five girls aged seven to 11. The school is located in Bhadradri Kothagudem district.
According to the ‘NDTV’ website, the sexual exploitation of the five girls had been taking place since August. The school reopened in August after the government decided on 50 per cent attendance for teachers in school due to the pandemic. Since then the principal and another teacher used to visit the school on alternate days and took turns in teaching the students. The accused person is said to be around 40 years old.
Two girls among the five fell ill recently. One of them confided to her mother about the repeated sexual abuse by the headmaster.
Subsequently other children were questioned. It then surfaced that at least five girls, aged between seven and 11 years, were allegedly sexually exploited. The girls were sent for medical examination.
The girls were reportedly shown pornographic material and then forced to perform sexual acts. The accused principal had reportedly threatened children with dire consequences if they talked about the matter outside. Being kids, they bore the pain quietly till they could not take it anymore.
The police have registered cases of rape and POCSO, the law for sexual crimes exploiting children, against the man.
“Since the girls are very young, we are working along with counsellors and ICDS staff. This is a tribal area and it is a small school,” Bhadradri Kothagudem district police chief Sunil Dutt was quoted as saying by the website.