Molestation victim's father hangs self, alleges pressure to

The father of a teenage molestation victim allegedly committed suicide after accusing the woman principal of his daughter's school and others of pressuring him into withdrawing the molestation case, police in Madhya Pradesh's Sagar district said on Sunday.

The 16-year-old molestation victim's father hanged himself from a electricity pole in a field late Saturday night in Garhakota, 42 kilometres from the district headquarters here, an official said.

A suicide note, purportedly written by the deceased, named the woman principal of the government-run girls' school where the victim studied and some others, he added.

"The suicide note alleges that the woman principal and some others were forcing the deceased to withdraw the molestation case filed by his daughter last month," Garhakota police station in charge Kamlendra Kalchuri said.

The girl, a Class X student, had accused a teacher, identified as Pradeep Jain, of molesting her after which the latter was arrested last month under relevant sections of the IPC and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, the official said.

"On the basis of the suicide note, we have charged the school principal and others under section 306 of the IPC for abetment of suicide. No arrests have been made so far," Kalchuri said.

Family members of the deceased also blocked a road in protest demanding strict action against those responsible for the death, the official said.