Kendrapada: Principal of a college in Jajpur district, accused of trying to defend a college teacher involved in an alleged molestation case, surrendered in court at Jajpur Road on Saturday. The court sent the principal to judicial custody. On Jan 23, the district administration suspended the principal and an economics lecturer after an inquiry into a molestation case in the college.
Police booked the lecturer on Jan 22 for allegedly molesting a college girl on Jan 6 in the college. Police also filed a case against the college principal as he tried to prevent the girl from lodging any complaint against the accused lecturer and persuaded her to withdraw the complaint.
The incident took place on Jan 6 when the girl’s practical class was going on in the college. However, on Jan 15, the girl lodged an FIR at Bari police station and alleged that the accused teacher touched her inappropriately and molested her in the practical class when she was alone.
During the probe, it was also found that the principal of the college tried to prevent the girl from lodging any complaint against the accused lecturer and persuaded her to withdraw the complaint, for which police also filed a case against the principal, said the IIC of Bari police station, Jyotimayee Sethi.
Both the accused fled after they were booked. The principal surrendered but the main accused, Bidyadhar Dhal, is still on the run. The girl has launched an indefinite dharna in front of the college since last month, demanding the immediate arrest of the accused.