School principal held for 'molesting' girl student

A 45-year-old principal of a government school here was arrested for allegedly outraging modesty of a class VIII girl on its campus today, police said.
The accused, identified as Akhilesh Malviya, was thrashed by parents of the 14-year-old girl, a student of Tilak Middle School, over the alleged incident.
Police have arrested Malviya under section 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty) of the IPC and under provisions of Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act, an official said.
"As the matter is serious, we have arrested Malviya," Kotwali police station Inspector Ajay Nair said.

However, the principal claimed that he was innocent and the charges against him are false.
"I scolded the girl after I found a love letter in her book and informed her family members. However, they thrashed me," he told reporters.
Further investigation in the case is on, Nair added.