Balikuda: A Class VIII girl was misbehaved by her mathematics teacher at Malikapur based Nityananda Kanungo Memorial High School under this block in Jagatsinghpur district Thursday.
The accused was identified as Prasanna Paital. On learning the incident, the school committee called out a meeting to solve the matter but in vain.
According to sources, the girl on the occasion of Saraswati Puja had been to the school with her friends. Finding her alone, Prasanna called her to the school corridor on the pretext of some work where he proposed to her.
The girl refused his advances and ran away from the place. Later, he tried to propose to her friend in the same class promising to marry both. The matter came to the fore after the girls returned home and told their parents about the incident.
Guardians of both the girls reached the school and questioned the school headmaster Durga Prasad Swain. Initially, Prasanna refuted the allegations but later confessed to his advances. Irate guardians demanded expulsion of the teacher from the school. They also wanted to tonsure him and parade in the village.
When the school headmaster refused, the guardians dragged Prasanna and thrashed him black and blue. Later, police reached the spot and brought the situation under control. The mob also gheraoed other teachers and held them captive in the school.
The police rescued all teachers and deployed police to maintain law and order. Prasanna was detained for interrogation. The same teacher had been caught for sexual offences in the past and penalised. PNN
