17 Students Molested by School Principal In UP: Police

An FIR has been filed against the principal

Lucknow: According to the UP police, In Uttar Pradesh's Muzaffarnagar district, Seventeen Class 10 girls have alleged, were drugged and molested by their school principal and his associate after being asked to stay the night to prepare for "practical exams", the next day, which were to be held in another school in the same district. The incident is from November 18.

The police further added, An FIR in the matter has been registered and five teams have been formed to arrest the accused.

Muzaffarnagar police Chief Abhishek Yadav said, "We have suspended the station house officer of the police station for negligence on duty. An FIR has been filed and the accused charged under section 328 (outraging the modesty of a woman), 358 (causing hurt by poison), 506 (criminal intimidation) and relevant sections of the POCSO Act as well."

Parents said that their complaint was filed only after the local MLA, Pramod Utwal, intervened.

A complainant said, "Principal Yogesh got the 16-17 girls to come over on the pretext of practical exams...The girls were asked to write a copy, and after that they were asked to stay for the night. The girls were told that there will be more practical’s on the next day. The girls then made khichdi, which the principal said was undercooked. He then made it himself and fed all the girls. The girls lost consciousness after eating khichdi. And then they were molested by the Principal.”

"The issue is one of practicals. The children were given sedatives in their food. There are 29 students in the class, but only girls were called," said another complainant. He further said that strict action should be taken against the school for running illegal classes as it lacked permission.

Asked if the board had announced dates for practical exams, one of the girls said they were not aware but were made to write a copy.

When asked about the subject of practical exam, she said "Hindi practical".

"Chedkhani hui by principal sir (We were molested by the principal sir). There were 17 of us. We made khichdi, the principal said it was not cooked properly. They called us saying there were practical exams," said one of the girls who were molested.

Another girl said, "Practical ke liye bulaya tha (We were called for practical exams)."

The girl said that first they made the khichdi thereafter the principal made it and after consuming it they were unconscious and were molested after having food.