Basudevpur: Tension flared Monday after an alleged incident of misconduct involving a Class VIII girl student at Kismat Krushnapur Upper Primary School under Basudevpur block in Bhadrak district.
Villagers, relatives of the student and fellow pupils locked the school gate and staged a road blockade at Krushnapur’s Sandha Chhak on the Basudevpur-Dhamra road, demanding the immediate arrest and dismissal of the accused teacher.
According to sources, the incident took place Saturday when the teacher allegedly called the student to a room on the school premises and behaved inappropriately.
The girl later informed her family about the alleged misconduct.
Though the accused teacher was on leave Monday, irate locals detained the in-charge headmaster and other teachers who had come to the school.
The in-charge headmaster, identified as Abinash Pradhan, was reportedly assaulted and sustained injuries.
He was first treated at Basudevpur hospital and later shifted to Bhadrak District Headquarters Hospital for further treatment. Other teachers reportedly fled the scene, fearing for their safety.
Police and administrative officials, including Nayakanidihi police station IIC Umashankar Nayak, Sadar SDPO Bichitrananda Sethi and ABEO Tapan Dwivedi, reached the protest site and attempted to pacify the agitators.
However, the protesters refused to withdraw the blockade. Based on a complaint lodged by the student’s mother, police registered a case (55/26) Monday and launched an investigation, Nayak said.
Block Education Officer Madhusmita Giri said the accused teacher, identified as Gautam Sahu, was placed under suspension Monday after the matter came to her notice.
The road blockade was withdrawn around 4 pm after protesters were informed about the suspension.
