Post News Network
Rayagada, March 3: A two-member team formed by the collector has completed an inquiry into the allegations made by students of Siriguda Ekalavya Model School against its principal Rajendra Narayan Dakhinakabata.
The team comprising district social welfare officer BSBN Bag and child development project officer Pushpanjali Mishra went
to the school Monday evening and Tuesday. They held talks with the students and teachers and gathered information about the matter.
Several girls studying in Plus Two first year told the panel members that they were sexually harassed by the principal.
They alleged Dakhinakabata misbehaved with them after calling them to his residence at night. They also alleged the accused had touched their private parts and kissed them.
Bag told mediapersons that the allegations made against the principal were found to be true. “Many girl students claimed that the principal was putting pressure on them to have physical relation with him,” he said, adding the principal had been indulging in such activities for the last two years, but the students had not revealed it before anyone out of to fear.
Moreover, during inquiry, the students also informed the panel members that they were not being served proper food in the hostel.
Bag said the team would submit its report to the collector by Tuesday evening.
Rayagada collector Jagannath Mohanty had formed the team Monday to inquire into the allegations made against Dakhinakabata after a BJP delegation met him during a public grievances redressal cell hearing and urged him to take action.
Meanwhile, the principal vacated his residential quarters on the school premises and went to somewhere else without informing anyone Tuesday.
Project administrator of ITDA Pabitra Chinchuan had earlier directed him to vacate the quarters. As the principal is absconding, the administration has appointed another teacher Gouri Shankar Mohanty as principal in-charge.