Balasore: Odisha school and mass education minister Samir Ranjan Dash Wednesday sought report from Balasore district education officer (DEO) after a woman teacher from the district brought sexual harassment allegations against the headmaster of the school she works in.
According to the victim, headmaster of the UP school she works in had been sexually harassing her for past eight to nine months. The accused headmaster, identified as Ratikant Jena, used to took her pictures without her consent and tried to get close to her several times. Besides, he also touched her inappropriately inside the classroom and threatened her when she objected.
The lady further alleged that even though she tried to bring the issue to the notice of Balasore DEO and sought the intervention of the collector, her pleas fell in deaf ears. With no other option left, she along with her husband approached Baliapal police station seeking justice.
The victim said she would commit suicide if denied justice.
“He warned me of killing my husband and throwing me out of my job if I revealed his acts to anyone. He has also started harassing me mentally when I took up the issue before the district administration,” said the victim.
The accused headmaster, meanwhile, refuted the allegations and terming them ‘false and baseless’.
That said, school and mass education minister Dash has sought a report from the DEO in connection with the issue and has promised necessary action after going through the report.
