Assam: School principal arrested for sexually assaulting student in campus

According to police, the girl said that the principal had threatened to fail her in all subjects if she revealed the incident to anyone

A school principal in Assam’s Karimganj, who was suspended for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor girl at the school campus, has been arrested on Saturday, police said.

The accused had been absconding for ten days. (Representative Image)

A complaint against the head teacher, identified as Asar Uddin, was lodged in Badarpur Police Station on May 18 by the family members of the student, who accused him of calling her in his room and sexually assaulting her.

Police registered a case against him under Protection of Children from the Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and some other sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and issued an arrest warrant. However, Asar Uddin absconded after the incident.

Several social organisations staged protests against the incident and demanded immediate arrest of the accused.

Superintendent of police (SP) of Karimganj district, Partha Pratim Das told HT that Asar Uddin was hiding in residence and police received information regarding this on Saturday morning.

“Based on the specific information, our team carefully conducted an operation and caught him from that house. We have produced him before the court. Those who have helped him in hiding are under suspicion and we are investigating the matter further,” Das said.

The Secondary Education department of Assam last week suspended Asar Uddin from his post and asked him to cooperate with police in the investigation.

The director of Secondary Education, Assam, Mamata Hojai in the suspension letter, wrote that the inspector of schools, Karimganj had submitted a report regarding the alleged sexual harassment.