People protest against principal for 'eve teasing' student

Several villagers today held a protest outside a government school in a village in this district, accusing its principal of eve teasing a girl student, following which an enquiry was initiated.
Education Minister Aruna Chaudhary, taking serious note of the matter, ordered an inquiry into the incident and shifted the principal to the District Education Office.
Villagers, comprising Panchayat members and parents of the girl, today went to the school and held protest against the principal, an official said.
They accused the principal of inappropriate behaviour towards the girl, he said.
The protesters, who were demanding that a case be registered against the principal, did not allow him to move out of the school, the official said.

They even resorted to stone-pelting, damaging the vehicle of the principal, Fazilka Deputy Commissioner Esha Kalia said.

He said the timely intervention of the district administration helped to diffuse the situation.
Later, in a statement, the Minister said as soon as the incident was brought to her notice, she got in touch with the DPI (Secondary Education) and DEO (Fazilka) to seek the details.
After speaking to the Deputy Commissioner Fazilka, a three-member committee has been formed under the DEO (Fazilka), which includes a tehsildar and a female principal of a girls' school, she said.
Aruna said the committee would submit its report within 24 hours to the authorities.

During the course of enquiry, the station of the accused has been changed from the school to the District Education Office so as to not hamper the investigation, she said.
The Minister said the next course of action will be taken once the report is submitted.
She made it clear that any allegation being proven would invite strict action.