Principal of Kerala School Arrested for Sexually Harassing Class 11 Student

The school on Tuesday issued a statement saying that the principal has been removed from his position.

Protest against child abuse. Image used for representational purposes.

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(Trigger warning: Descriptions of sexual assault. Reader discretion advised.)

The principal of a well-known private school in Kerala's Palakkad district has been arrested for allegedly sexually harassing a Class 11 student of the same school, the police told The Quint.

What happened? The student was reportedly sent to the principal's office after she fell ill on 4 October, where he allegedly sexually harassed her. Later, the student opened up to her parents about the incident, and they reported the principal to the police via the child helpline. The Mankara Police registered a First Information Report (FIR) on 8 October.

The principal was arrested on the night of Monday, 9 October, and sent on remand the next day, the Mankara Police told The Quint.

What are the sections? As per the FIR, a case has been registered under Section 354A (sexual harassment) of the Indian Penal Code, Section 75 (child abuse) of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, and relevant sections of the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

And then? The private school issued a statement on Tuesday, 10 October, saying that the principal had been removed from his position. "The principal, who has been arrested on POCSO charges, based on a complaint by a Class 11 student, has been removed from his position," the statement accessed by The Quint read.